God is calling us to much deeper communion with Him in this hour. We have heard this over and over again from trusted prophetic voices.
It's in these times of abiding in the secret place that we hear the Lord clearly and draw closer to Him and the Lord becomes our primary focus as John Belt shares:
Our primary focus is to be on the Lord and the things of Heaven. At the same time we are not to be "ignorant" of satan's devices. We see that through the initial question the serpent gives to Eve, and he is trying to lure her into conversation. It is bait when he says, "Did God really say?" He is trying to put Eve on defense, which he does successfully. The enemy wants to draw her "off-sides" onto his ground where she can be penalized and proved guilty.
Sunday, April 09, 2017
Thursday, January 19, 2017
What Is It We Are All Looking For???
Let's face it, there is a deep down desire inside each of us on this planet. We are all born into it. It gets distorted along the way, Our education, our experiences can distort our basic life goals along the way.
The desire to be loved, and to have our needs taken care of. This love we seek desires the attention of those around us. We use whatever is available to see to it we are taken care of. From the baby's cry. To the child's temper tantrum. To the adult sowing his wild oats.
Each of us must grow out of that introspective lifestyle, and realize that the world does not revolve around me. But we must learn to use our abilities, talents, resources to help those around us. To whatever extent possible.
Monday, August 08, 2016
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
In the Old Testament, a person’s relationship with God was seen by the degree of separation in that person’s life.
This separation is exhibited in the life of Abraham by his separation from his country and his family.
When we think of separation today, we do not mean to be literally separated from those family members who do not have a personal relationship with God, but to be separated mentally and morally from their viewpoints.
Friday, July 08, 2016
Friday, November 28, 2014
Unity in the Church--the Body of Christ
If we have the Holy Spirit then we have the One who is called "the Helper" (see John 14:26). If we are taking on His nature it should become our nature to help one another. Why not begin to pray for the denomination, church, or even individual Christians that we may have the most problems with? Why not ask the Lord to show us practical ways that we can begin to help them? As the Scripture affirms, what is accomplished if we only love those who are lovable to us? Let us try to grow in love by loving those that may not be as lovable to us, and then excel in love by loving and helping, those who have even offended us. Pursuing love in this way is the path to finding our true identity in Christ.
--Rick Joyner
Friday, January 03, 2014
10 Well-Known Christians Who Met the Lord in 2013
by J Lee Grady of CHARISMA Magazine
Media outlets have published lists this week of celebrities who died in 2013—lists that include Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, novelist Tom Clancy and actors Peter O’Toole, Jean Stapleton and Paul Walker of Fast and Furious fame.
But religious leaders often don’t make these lists, mostly because the work of the Spirit is rarely celebrated on this side of eternity. As this year comes to a close, I decided to look back at 2013 and honor the memory of church leaders who died this year. They include:
1. Samuel Lamb. This brave Chinese pastor died in August at age 88. He spent 20 years in prison for his faith because he refused to bow to his communist oppressors. He taught his flock: “The laws of God are more important that the laws of men.” Today the illegal church he planted in the city of Guangzhou has grown to 4,000 members.
2. George Beverly Shea. Perhaps the best-known gospel singer of all time, Shea performed at Billy Graham’s crusades for decades and recorded more than 70 albums. A Canadian known for his booming bass-baritone voice, he teamed up with Graham in 1947. Ever willing to stand in the shadow of the more famous evangelist, Shea prepared audiences for Graham’s message by singing trademark songs such as “I’d Rather Have Jesus” and “How Great Thou Art.” He died in April at age 104.
3. Edith Schaffer. She and her husband, Francis, both Presbyterian missionaries, established L’Abri Fellowship, a retreat center in Switzerland that became a think tank for Christian theologians and activists. Some believe Edith and her husband—through their many books and lectures—galvanized the Christian Right in the 1980s by encouraging believers to challenge culture rather than hide from it. She was 98.
4. C. Everett Koop. Hated by some members of Congress because of his personal opposition to abortion, this distinguished pediatric surgeon was tapped by President Reagan to serve as U.S. Surgeon General. When Dr. Koop took office in 1981, 33 percent of Americans smoked; when he left in 1989, the percentage had dropped to 26 percent because of his strident campaign against tobacco use. A devoted Presbyterian who wrote a book about his faith journey, Sometimes Mountains Move, he also defended the rights of the elderly and children with birth defects. He was 96.
5. Richard Twiss. Once a monthly columnist for Charisma, Twiss was a rare breed: An outspoken charismatic Christian from a Native American background. His ministry, Wiconi International, focused on promoting reconciliation between whites and Native people. Born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Twiss wrote the popular book One Church, Many Tribes, and used his pulpit to reach Native people for Christ. He was only 58.
6. Pat Summerall. Perhaps the best known sportscaster in the U.S., he was fondly referred to as “the voice of the NFL” because his career spanned more than 40 years—and 16 Super Bowls. But what many TV viewers did not know was that the man with the famous voice experienced a dramatic conversion to Christ in 1992 after battling alcoholism. He wrote in his autobiography: “My thirst for alcohol was being replaced by a thirst for knowledge about faith and God. … I felt ecstatic, invigorated, happier, and freer. It felt as though my soul had been washed clean.” Summerall became a Southern Baptist before he died at age 82.
7. Paul Crouch. Raised in the Assemblies of God and driven by a desire to spread the gospel through television, Crouch built his Trinity Broadcasting Network from scratch, starting in 1973 with a station in Tustin, California, using $20,000 of his own money. When Crouch died in November at age 79, TBN had more than 18,000 network affiliates. His fund-raising tactics and spending habits made him plenty of enemies, but millions of donors looked beyond his flaws to help him build the largest Christian TV ministry in the world.
8. Dallas Willard. Considered a leading authority on spiritual formation, Willard was a philosophy professor at the University of Southern California whose books included The Spirit of the Disciplines, The Divine Conspiracy, Renovation of the Heart and Hearing God. He was a passionate proponent for rigorous discipleship, and he chided the American church for thinking we can be Christians without being disciples. He wrote: “The spiritual life is a life of interaction with a personal God, and it is pure delusion to suppose that it can be carried on sloppily.” He was 77.
9. T.L. Osborn. This unassuming Oklahoma-based evangelist always kept his focus on evangelism, and he preached in 90 nations before he died in February at age 89. Never a showman, he did huge outreaches in developing countries that drew crowds as large as 500,000—but he didn’t brag about his accomplishments. (In one of his crusades he shipped and delivered 56 tons of literature!) Throughout his life he reminded Christians of their responsibility to obey the Great Commission. He summarized this in an interview I did with him in 2011. “I once had a vision of the Lord,” Osborn explained. “But in the vision, God didn’t have any hands. Then He looked at me and said, ‘You are my hands.’”
10. Faye Pama Mysa. Few Americans have ever heard of this 47-year-old Pentecostal pastor who served as secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria. But he died a martyr’s death in May when Islamic militants burst into his home in Borno state and shot him. He is only one of hundreds of Christians who have died in Nigeria in recent years, victims of the Boko Haram terrorist group.
Organizations that monitor the persecution of Christians say the numbers of martyrs increased in 2013, especially in Nigeria, Egypt and Pakistan. In September in Pashawar, Pakistan, 78 worshipers were killed in a bomb attack at a church. In May, officials at the Vatican announced they believe 100,000 Christians are killed annually because of their faith.
I can’t list all their names here. But I pray our hearts will be filled with the courage of a martyr as we head into 2014.
by J Lee Grady of CHARISMA Magazine
Media outlets have published lists this week of celebrities who died in 2013—lists that include Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher, Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, novelist Tom Clancy and actors Peter O’Toole, Jean Stapleton and Paul Walker of Fast and Furious fame.
But religious leaders often don’t make these lists, mostly because the work of the Spirit is rarely celebrated on this side of eternity. As this year comes to a close, I decided to look back at 2013 and honor the memory of church leaders who died this year. They include:
1. Samuel Lamb. This brave Chinese pastor died in August at age 88. He spent 20 years in prison for his faith because he refused to bow to his communist oppressors. He taught his flock: “The laws of God are more important that the laws of men.” Today the illegal church he planted in the city of Guangzhou has grown to 4,000 members.
2. George Beverly Shea. Perhaps the best-known gospel singer of all time, Shea performed at Billy Graham’s crusades for decades and recorded more than 70 albums. A Canadian known for his booming bass-baritone voice, he teamed up with Graham in 1947. Ever willing to stand in the shadow of the more famous evangelist, Shea prepared audiences for Graham’s message by singing trademark songs such as “I’d Rather Have Jesus” and “How Great Thou Art.” He died in April at age 104.
3. Edith Schaffer. She and her husband, Francis, both Presbyterian missionaries, established L’Abri Fellowship, a retreat center in Switzerland that became a think tank for Christian theologians and activists. Some believe Edith and her husband—through their many books and lectures—galvanized the Christian Right in the 1980s by encouraging believers to challenge culture rather than hide from it. She was 98.
4. C. Everett Koop. Hated by some members of Congress because of his personal opposition to abortion, this distinguished pediatric surgeon was tapped by President Reagan to serve as U.S. Surgeon General. When Dr. Koop took office in 1981, 33 percent of Americans smoked; when he left in 1989, the percentage had dropped to 26 percent because of his strident campaign against tobacco use. A devoted Presbyterian who wrote a book about his faith journey, Sometimes Mountains Move, he also defended the rights of the elderly and children with birth defects. He was 96.
5. Richard Twiss. Once a monthly columnist for Charisma, Twiss was a rare breed: An outspoken charismatic Christian from a Native American background. His ministry, Wiconi International, focused on promoting reconciliation between whites and Native people. Born on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Twiss wrote the popular book One Church, Many Tribes, and used his pulpit to reach Native people for Christ. He was only 58.
6. Pat Summerall. Perhaps the best known sportscaster in the U.S., he was fondly referred to as “the voice of the NFL” because his career spanned more than 40 years—and 16 Super Bowls. But what many TV viewers did not know was that the man with the famous voice experienced a dramatic conversion to Christ in 1992 after battling alcoholism. He wrote in his autobiography: “My thirst for alcohol was being replaced by a thirst for knowledge about faith and God. … I felt ecstatic, invigorated, happier, and freer. It felt as though my soul had been washed clean.” Summerall became a Southern Baptist before he died at age 82.
7. Paul Crouch. Raised in the Assemblies of God and driven by a desire to spread the gospel through television, Crouch built his Trinity Broadcasting Network from scratch, starting in 1973 with a station in Tustin, California, using $20,000 of his own money. When Crouch died in November at age 79, TBN had more than 18,000 network affiliates. His fund-raising tactics and spending habits made him plenty of enemies, but millions of donors looked beyond his flaws to help him build the largest Christian TV ministry in the world.
8. Dallas Willard. Considered a leading authority on spiritual formation, Willard was a philosophy professor at the University of Southern California whose books included The Spirit of the Disciplines, The Divine Conspiracy, Renovation of the Heart and Hearing God. He was a passionate proponent for rigorous discipleship, and he chided the American church for thinking we can be Christians without being disciples. He wrote: “The spiritual life is a life of interaction with a personal God, and it is pure delusion to suppose that it can be carried on sloppily.” He was 77.
9. T.L. Osborn. This unassuming Oklahoma-based evangelist always kept his focus on evangelism, and he preached in 90 nations before he died in February at age 89. Never a showman, he did huge outreaches in developing countries that drew crowds as large as 500,000—but he didn’t brag about his accomplishments. (In one of his crusades he shipped and delivered 56 tons of literature!) Throughout his life he reminded Christians of their responsibility to obey the Great Commission. He summarized this in an interview I did with him in 2011. “I once had a vision of the Lord,” Osborn explained. “But in the vision, God didn’t have any hands. Then He looked at me and said, ‘You are my hands.’”
10. Faye Pama Mysa. Few Americans have ever heard of this 47-year-old Pentecostal pastor who served as secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria. But he died a martyr’s death in May when Islamic militants burst into his home in Borno state and shot him. He is only one of hundreds of Christians who have died in Nigeria in recent years, victims of the Boko Haram terrorist group.
Organizations that monitor the persecution of Christians say the numbers of martyrs increased in 2013, especially in Nigeria, Egypt and Pakistan. In September in Pashawar, Pakistan, 78 worshipers were killed in a bomb attack at a church. In May, officials at the Vatican announced they believe 100,000 Christians are killed annually because of their faith.
I can’t list all their names here. But I pray our hearts will be filled with the courage of a martyr as we head into 2014.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Worship is not the slow song that the choir sings. Worship is not the amount you place in the offering basket. Worship is not volunteering in children's church. Yes, these may be acts or expressions of worship, but they do not define what true worship really is. There are numerous definitions of the word worship. Yet, one in particular encapsulates the priority we should give to worship as a spiritual discipline: Worship is to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission (Webster's Dictionary,1828).
True worship, in other words, is defined by the priority we place on who God is in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities. True worship is a matter of the heart expressed through a lifestyle of holiness. Thus, if your lifestyle does not express the beauty of holiness through an extravagant or exaggerated love for God, and you do not live in extreme or excessive submission to God, then I invite you to make worship a non-negotiable priority in your life. -- Delesslyn Kennebrew
True worship, in other words, is defined by the priority we place on who God is in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities. True worship is a matter of the heart expressed through a lifestyle of holiness. Thus, if your lifestyle does not express the beauty of holiness through an extravagant or exaggerated love for God, and you do not live in extreme or excessive submission to God, then I invite you to make worship a non-negotiable priority in your life. -- Delesslyn Kennebrew
Thursday, October 03, 2013
Thursday, May 09, 2013
What Is Life All About
What is this life all about but to allow Jesus to live in us and thru us... for as we grow into maturity we will look more and more like Him... His life shining thru us towards a dark & dying world.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
The Fifth Gospel
Without
a foundation, without a real study of the Word of God, the Church
will never mature as Christ wanted us to.
Paul
said he delivered to the Roman Christians a system of truth (ROM 6). Who
better to lay out truths about our redemption than this zealous Jew
turned Christian on the way to Damascus (ACTS 9). So revolutionary was his
conversion and subsequent revelations that he took what Christ gave
him and called it "My Gospel" (ROM 2, ROM 16, 2 TIM 2)!
He
not only taught this everywhere he went, but in his writings he
addressed the new Christians on those truths they were not following.
Every church had its own identity and its own problems, but like a
puzzle we can glean from Paul's writings in this 5th gospel.
The
first 4 gospels mainly showed us Jesus earthly life and ministry, yes
even His sacrificial death on Calvary. (Ministry yes! Because ministry
really means service.) Jesus ministry was first and foremost was to
His Father.
He
came to reveal who His Father was and how much He loves each of us.
And the religious leaders wanted to kill Him for this.
He
came to train up His disciples, His understudies, to take center
stage when He left to prepare our home in heaven for us.
He
taught us about relationships--with the Father & with each other. How
we are to live!!!
And
He was preparing Himself for the ultimate sacrifice--the Lamb of God,
taking our place on the sinner's cross. And opening the door into the
Holy of Holies.
This
5th Gospel took in the whole panorama of our redemption. Explaining
what was happening behind the scenes of this physical state of
existence. Paul escorted us into the mind and will of God, showing
our tri-partite nature and revealing that long hidden secret...Christ
In You, The Hope Of Glory!!! (COL 1)
How
did we get there? How did we come from being of the very nature of
the devil and now having the very life and nature of God Almighty
bursting in abundance in our new man. (EPH 2)
Paul
goes as far as to guide us with the Holy Spirit's help to know and
fulfill Jesus' ministry on this earth. Ambassadors for Christ. In
union with the Master. Co-crucified with Him. Sharing & partaking
of His life in this mortal body. Co-laborers with the Lord.(2 COR 5, GAL 2, 1 COR 1, 2 COR 6)
Even
the Apostle Peter condoned Paul's ministry by declaring that Paul's
words were hard to understand but nevertheless they were scriptural. (2 PET 3)
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
2012
Ok...it has been toooo long!
My daughter inspires me to do this blog.
She writes her blog and I think "I should update mine..."
My problem is I'm lazy...
I like to write with pen & ink, and I think it's good
but then transferring it to this blog is where I lose it.
Sign-in, type (which is not mine forte), etc...
So maybe this year I'll keep up with this more, more than...
------------------------------------------
This is a year of divine expectation...2012!
God is on the move.
All the religions of the world recognize that something is stirring.
Prayers are going up all around the world for God to intervene in this world's problems.
Confidence in the governments of this world is at an all time low.
Why? Because they cannot fix the problems society has been facing this last 10 years.
9-11 shifted society's outlook on life and government leaders have been desperately trying to define that collective personality.
For years they have been blowing their own horn --
that they can fix everything --
that they have all the answers.
And now they are failing.
Calamities and crises have toppled this house of cards.
And they still say they can fix it. ("Give us more money!")
Now What!!!
Who do we turn to for help, for answers...
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Modern Tech
oh the joys of modern technology...
storms came through about 2 hours ago and lo and behold the power went off about an hour and a half ago...
but we have wireless internet, battery powered notebook pc and our cell phones...
candles, oil lamps, and each other...
have fun today as my battery meter is running on low...
storms came through about 2 hours ago and lo and behold the power went off about an hour and a half ago...
but we have wireless internet, battery powered notebook pc and our cell phones...
candles, oil lamps, and each other...
have fun today as my battery meter is running on low...
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
HOPE
What can I say...It has been way too long. Many challenges along the way, but...
What is most important to you in this life? HEALTH. FINANCES. (including a job or a better job). A HAPPY MARRIAGE.
What about the world around us? OUR RELATIONSHIPS with co-workers or neighbors and friends. How about the GOVERNMENT? And the other nations... not just politics (religion is political in some countries), but also natural
disasters.
There is a lot going on in 2011 to be stressed out about. If you've noticed, its been building up like a crescendo over the past decade or so. Its like a plumbing leak under the foundation of a Texas house. You only notice the signs -- too much water usage, or water leaking up through the floor.
Something big is building under the surface and its fixing to spill forth.
The signs of the times. Jesus prophesied and taught about it. "In the last days..." (MT 24).
So we're here, now, in the middle of it. Like it or not. What do we do now? We humans do not like our boat being rocked. We don't like change -- especially extreme change.
We have to hold onto HOPE. The anchor of our soul (HEB 6:19). You see, these things, these circumstances will play havoc on your mind. It will get so bad, Jesus said some men's hearts will quit because of FEAR (LK 21:26). ("FEAR has torment (1 JN 4:18).") What did Jesus always say, "DON'T BE AFRAID!" The angels too would show up un-announced saying "DON'T BE AFRAID!"
We Christians have a HOPE for a better life. This world is not my home... but we are looking for that heavenly city (HEB 11:16), our eternal home. Jesus promised... "I go to prepare a place for you (JN 14:2-3)." GREAT! My mansion awaits me. Paul says ""These light afflictions..." are nothing compared to our eternal destiny with God. (2 COR 4:17)
What about those without HOPE? (EPH 2:12) We are to be the light in the dark place (MT 5:14-16). We can show how great our God is (1 PET 2:9). Our Christian life/experience is based on God's promises to us in the Bible. WORDS! Words of faith & hope & love... Those words are covenant promises that cannot be broken and cannot go unfulfilled (IS 55:11). We accept these promises as truth, we believe them. We receive and act on them, agreeing with God -- YES! AMEN! (2 COR 1:20)
This HOPE is now our faith substance (HEB 11:1). We believe and therefore speak (2 COR 4:13)...Uttering that hope found on the promise of God.
PEACE of mind. There are scriptural promises for it. HEALTH & HEALING. Likewise. FINANCIAL PROVISIONS. ibid. In any area of life, there is a promise for you. A good concordance will show you where it is. Or ask someone! (Or my favorite...GOOGLE it!!!)
What is most important to you in this life? HEALTH. FINANCES. (including a job or a better job). A HAPPY MARRIAGE.
What about the world around us? OUR RELATIONSHIPS with co-workers or neighbors and friends. How about the GOVERNMENT? And the other nations... not just politics (religion is political in some countries), but also natural
disasters.
There is a lot going on in 2011 to be stressed out about. If you've noticed, its been building up like a crescendo over the past decade or so. Its like a plumbing leak under the foundation of a Texas house. You only notice the signs -- too much water usage, or water leaking up through the floor.
Something big is building under the surface and its fixing to spill forth.
The signs of the times. Jesus prophesied and taught about it. "In the last days..." (MT 24).
So we're here, now, in the middle of it. Like it or not. What do we do now? We humans do not like our boat being rocked. We don't like change -- especially extreme change.
We have to hold onto HOPE. The anchor of our soul (HEB 6:19). You see, these things, these circumstances will play havoc on your mind. It will get so bad, Jesus said some men's hearts will quit because of FEAR (LK 21:26). ("FEAR has torment (1 JN 4:18).") What did Jesus always say, "DON'T BE AFRAID!" The angels too would show up un-announced saying "DON'T BE AFRAID!"
We Christians have a HOPE for a better life. This world is not my home... but we are looking for that heavenly city (HEB 11:16), our eternal home. Jesus promised... "I go to prepare a place for you (JN 14:2-3)." GREAT! My mansion awaits me. Paul says ""These light afflictions..." are nothing compared to our eternal destiny with God. (2 COR 4:17)
What about those without HOPE? (EPH 2:12) We are to be the light in the dark place (MT 5:14-16). We can show how great our God is (1 PET 2:9). Our Christian life/experience is based on God's promises to us in the Bible. WORDS! Words of faith & hope & love... Those words are covenant promises that cannot be broken and cannot go unfulfilled (IS 55:11). We accept these promises as truth, we believe them. We receive and act on them, agreeing with God -- YES! AMEN! (2 COR 1:20)
This HOPE is now our faith substance (HEB 11:1). We believe and therefore speak (2 COR 4:13)...Uttering that hope found on the promise of God.
PEACE of mind. There are scriptural promises for it. HEALTH & HEALING. Likewise. FINANCIAL PROVISIONS. ibid. In any area of life, there is a promise for you. A good concordance will show you where it is. Or ask someone! (Or my favorite...GOOGLE it!!!)
Friday, December 03, 2010
Dig In Deeper
in football you take your stance...
whether you are on offense or defense;
you line up against your enemy;
you position yourself firmly;
then you set your feet;
you dig your cleats in a little deeper;
to get a good foothold;
to gain better traction...
So in life when you hear the Holy Spirit say "Dig In Deeper"...
He wants you to ready yourself for the challenge...
Your feet are shod with the shoes of the gospel of peace...
Dig into the word, confess who you are and what Jesus has done for you,
Spend more KOINONIA time with the Lord...
EPH 6:13-14...and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, ...
Sunday, November 28, 2010
SOME THOUGHTS ON THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS/HOLYDAYS
I love this time of year-- the HOLIDAYS!
Here in Texas, it is a time of change. Nature kicks into high gear and catches us up into Autumn with the rest of the nation.
But to me, it is especially a time to reflect on the holidays. At the same time, it can be a bit depressing, because I know that as quickly as it all comes, it will soon be over. Then the cycle begins again. Life kicks in again...I mean the rat race of work, taxes, yard work, etc.
But the holidays, as I said, are when families and friends get-together -- not like any other time of the year. It's like people save themselves for the get-togethers just as they save their money for the Christmas gifts each year. Or is it tradition that everyone must attend church at Christmas & Easter? Likewise is it tradition to attend the get-togethers?
For a few short weeks it is like heaven on earth -- peace and good will to all.
Even the TV and movies at this time of year portray lives changed because someone special intervenes in another's life, making a change for the better.
The idea I am getting to is the need to stretch this 6-7 week time period into the full 52 weeks of life here on earth.
Not to keep it winter all year as the Narnian witch did -- never allowing the seasons to change. Because God set the seasons in motion painting a picture of redemption for all mankind to see His grace, mercy and love. (ROM 1:20) Just as He painted the stellar constellations in the night sky to tell His story over and over again -- to a people who have forgotten how to read it.
God has set up His feasts in the Jewish religion/culture to tell of His redemptive story.
And the Catholic/Christian church has set up it's holydays also throughout the year to remind us of His story.
God's handwriting is all around us. Don't get so caught up in everyday life and miss the story unfolding around us again this year.
I remember growing up as a catholic boy anticipating the next holiday/holyday, not realizing the story behind it all.
May God help us to open our eyes and see and share His grace, mercy and love this season and always.
Here in Texas, it is a time of change. Nature kicks into high gear and catches us up into Autumn with the rest of the nation.
But to me, it is especially a time to reflect on the holidays. At the same time, it can be a bit depressing, because I know that as quickly as it all comes, it will soon be over. Then the cycle begins again. Life kicks in again...I mean the rat race of work, taxes, yard work, etc.
But the holidays, as I said, are when families and friends get-together -- not like any other time of the year. It's like people save themselves for the get-togethers just as they save their money for the Christmas gifts each year. Or is it tradition that everyone must attend church at Christmas & Easter? Likewise is it tradition to attend the get-togethers?
For a few short weeks it is like heaven on earth -- peace and good will to all.
Even the TV and movies at this time of year portray lives changed because someone special intervenes in another's life, making a change for the better.
The idea I am getting to is the need to stretch this 6-7 week time period into the full 52 weeks of life here on earth.
Not to keep it winter all year as the Narnian witch did -- never allowing the seasons to change. Because God set the seasons in motion painting a picture of redemption for all mankind to see His grace, mercy and love. (ROM 1:20) Just as He painted the stellar constellations in the night sky to tell His story over and over again -- to a people who have forgotten how to read it.
God has set up His feasts in the Jewish religion/culture to tell of His redemptive story.
And the Catholic/Christian church has set up it's holydays also throughout the year to remind us of His story.
God's handwriting is all around us. Don't get so caught up in everyday life and miss the story unfolding around us again this year.
I remember growing up as a catholic boy anticipating the next holiday/holyday, not realizing the story behind it all.
May God help us to open our eyes and see and share His grace, mercy and love this season and always.
Sunday, August 01, 2010
IT IS TIME TO TURN TO THE LORD!!!
Hosea 10:12 (TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION) -- "Plow new ground for yourselves [MOFFAT's = break up your fallow ground, by seeking knowledge of the Eternal...], plant righteousness and reap the blessings that your devotion to Me will produce. It is time for you to turn to Me , your Lord, and I will come and pour out blessings upon you."
Matthew 11:28-30 (JOHNSON) -- "Come into fellowship with Me if you are tired and burdened and I will refresh and release you. Take the burden of responsibility I give you and thereby discover your life and your destiny. I am gentle and humble. I am willing to relate to you and to permit you to learn at your own rate. Then in fellowship with Me, you will discover the meaning of your life. My fellowship will release you, and My companionship will direct you on your journey."
We are on a journey...we really are. This earth is not our home. Eternity is where we are headed. but it has 2 addresses: 777 Pearly Gate Drive or 666 Lake of Fire Road. Which one you end up at is your decision. But we have to follow the Creator's rules.
Hosea 10:12 (TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION) -- "Plow new ground for yourselves [MOFFAT's = break up your fallow ground, by seeking knowledge of the Eternal...], plant righteousness and reap the blessings that your devotion to Me will produce. It is time for you to turn to Me , your Lord, and I will come and pour out blessings upon you."
Matthew 11:28-30 (JOHNSON) -- "Come into fellowship with Me if you are tired and burdened and I will refresh and release you. Take the burden of responsibility I give you and thereby discover your life and your destiny. I am gentle and humble. I am willing to relate to you and to permit you to learn at your own rate. Then in fellowship with Me, you will discover the meaning of your life. My fellowship will release you, and My companionship will direct you on your journey."
We are on a journey...we really are. This earth is not our home. Eternity is where we are headed. but it has 2 addresses: 777 Pearly Gate Drive or 666 Lake of Fire Road. Which one you end up at is your decision. But we have to follow the Creator's rules.
Friday, July 23, 2010
SOAKING IN HIS PRESENCE
excerpt from "The Pathway To Miracles: Spending Time With The Lord"
written by Gary Oates with Robert Paul Lamb
"The heart of God is for intimacy with His children...James 4:8
"The presence of god is available to every believer...John 14:21
"What is the most pressing need in your life today? Are you sick in your body? Are you in need of a miracle from God? I have discovered that a lot of times people are seeking God for an experience, for more power, or even for a gift to minister.
"Our first priority is to daily seek the manifest presence of God! We must learn to come quietly into His presence just wanting more of Him in our lives. We need to 'soak in His presence', extracting more of His fullness into those places where we are barren. The cumulative effect of spending time with the Lord will produce an increased anointing of healing for yourself and others."
written by Gary Oates with Robert Paul Lamb
"The heart of God is for intimacy with His children...James 4:8
"The presence of god is available to every believer...John 14:21
"What is the most pressing need in your life today? Are you sick in your body? Are you in need of a miracle from God? I have discovered that a lot of times people are seeking God for an experience, for more power, or even for a gift to minister.
"Our first priority is to daily seek the manifest presence of God! We must learn to come quietly into His presence just wanting more of Him in our lives. We need to 'soak in His presence', extracting more of His fullness into those places where we are barren. The cumulative effect of spending time with the Lord will produce an increased anointing of healing for yourself and others."
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