"Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense", Jer. 3:10.
We are challenged by God to walk by faith not by sight. Faith is moving and going where you cannot see allowing and trusting God to lead us while we follow. I picture a tall and long wall with a door in it. On one side of the wall are the present and known experiences. Faith is going through the door not knowing what is on the other side. Faith is not turning back or changing your mind. It is not a pretense of activity but a whole heart movement into something not seen. Faith is trusting someone other than yourself - ultimately a supreme and sovereign God!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
The Lord will be our treasure . . . . July 4, 2013
Isaiah 33 and Haggai
After the leaders and the people began to obey The Lord and fear Him. (It will begin with the leaders - for leaders lead.) The Lord said, "I am with you....and The Lord stirred up the spirit" -- of the leaders and all the people!
There is no lack of communication; God is not silent about our future. It is more likely we have chosen not to consider His words. The scriptures detail thoroughly our future. The church will be the voice and standard of justice and righteousness to all nations, and Christ will lead His church. He will be the stability of the whole earth, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of The Lord will be our treasure, (Isa 33:5-6).
Do we choose not to see? Are we reducing our "faith" to see only what aligns with our life?
The church is not the body of Christ if it is disfunctional. Denominations and churches choose to disagree and separate from each other - supposedly in the name of Christ. How foolish! Can He be separated? No! Yet exclusive thinking leaders think Christ will visit and stir them up! Impossible - any stirring up would be by human religious hype.
God will dwell among people who obey Him and love and trust each other.
After the leaders and the people began to obey The Lord and fear Him. (It will begin with the leaders - for leaders lead.) The Lord said, "I am with you....and The Lord stirred up the spirit" -- of the leaders and all the people!
There is no lack of communication; God is not silent about our future. It is more likely we have chosen not to consider His words. The scriptures detail thoroughly our future. The church will be the voice and standard of justice and righteousness to all nations, and Christ will lead His church. He will be the stability of the whole earth, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of The Lord will be our treasure, (Isa 33:5-6).
Do we choose not to see? Are we reducing our "faith" to see only what aligns with our life?
The church is not the body of Christ if it is disfunctional. Denominations and churches choose to disagree and separate from each other - supposedly in the name of Christ. How foolish! Can He be separated? No! Yet exclusive thinking leaders think Christ will visit and stir them up! Impossible - any stirring up would be by human religious hype.
God will dwell among people who obey Him and love and trust each other.
Theology of rest "with" God . . . . October 1, 2013
Heb. 4:1-16
Our "withness" with God should exist continuously in life. A Christian is one who both follows HIm and is "with" Him, notwithstanding the two parts are united. We cannot say I am a Christian and not follow HIm. The words of Jesus "come follow Me" denote leadership motives with us when we give Him trust - again the united parts. Likewise, when we hold our confidence sure in Him we will share continuously in His rest.
It is quite normal 'with' HIm that our faith is tested. And it seems with time testing increases, and with that our faith. This, I assume, is God's intention to gain greater objectives through us. Without question testing and pains are never wasted 'with' God, for this is the way of the cross in us!
If we think following Jesus Christ is easy and free from testing it is possible a different Christ has been presented to us. Rest i n Christ is not freedom from challenges and anxieties - we live in a human body, seeking this kind of rest is like trying to escape reality and will not work. Yet His words, "I will give you rest" is rest with life conditions!
October 2012 two bones in my neck was broken; now I am almost fully recovered. Regaining conscienceless I sensed complete safety, security, and sovereignty in God. Likewise the absence of fear or anxieties, and no pain in the following months. Was this a fun feeling? I didn't like the collar holding my neck, the itching skin, the immobility, my right arm was sleeping, the damaged nerves to my eyes caused my eyes not to function properly as one sat in the corner unmoving. Some things in life are not fun, but His peace and rest overarched it all!
We enter the rest in Christ by faith and endurance. It is not rest from the natural human conditions but an 'otherkind' - a tangible, supernatural, and transcending time and space rest in God!
Religious performance, good works, and self-identity are barriers interfering with the rest available in Christ. "Come with Me" - entering His rest is the main thing!--and everything else follows in proper order. We become spiritually and emotionally bent and disordered any other way.
Disobedience, or stubbornness, or pride hold us from entering because we choose not to place faith in Jesus Christ. These we properly deal with.
"Come follow Me" is an invitation without options! We are free, He will never interfere with our choice! Choice will determine consequence! Either, Christ is Lord.... or we are lord.
Also: Concurrently, if we have not entered His rest the two most necessary, mysterious, and powerful elements of God for us depreciate in potential - His grace and peace.
Our "withness" with God should exist continuously in life. A Christian is one who both follows HIm and is "with" Him, notwithstanding the two parts are united. We cannot say I am a Christian and not follow HIm. The words of Jesus "come follow Me" denote leadership motives with us when we give Him trust - again the united parts. Likewise, when we hold our confidence sure in Him we will share continuously in His rest.
It is quite normal 'with' HIm that our faith is tested. And it seems with time testing increases, and with that our faith. This, I assume, is God's intention to gain greater objectives through us. Without question testing and pains are never wasted 'with' God, for this is the way of the cross in us!
If we think following Jesus Christ is easy and free from testing it is possible a different Christ has been presented to us. Rest i n Christ is not freedom from challenges and anxieties - we live in a human body, seeking this kind of rest is like trying to escape reality and will not work. Yet His words, "I will give you rest" is rest with life conditions!
October 2012 two bones in my neck was broken; now I am almost fully recovered. Regaining conscienceless I sensed complete safety, security, and sovereignty in God. Likewise the absence of fear or anxieties, and no pain in the following months. Was this a fun feeling? I didn't like the collar holding my neck, the itching skin, the immobility, my right arm was sleeping, the damaged nerves to my eyes caused my eyes not to function properly as one sat in the corner unmoving. Some things in life are not fun, but His peace and rest overarched it all!
We enter the rest in Christ by faith and endurance. It is not rest from the natural human conditions but an 'otherkind' - a tangible, supernatural, and transcending time and space rest in God!
Religious performance, good works, and self-identity are barriers interfering with the rest available in Christ. "Come with Me" - entering His rest is the main thing!--and everything else follows in proper order. We become spiritually and emotionally bent and disordered any other way.
Disobedience, or stubbornness, or pride hold us from entering because we choose not to place faith in Jesus Christ. These we properly deal with.
"Come follow Me" is an invitation without options! We are free, He will never interfere with our choice! Choice will determine consequence! Either, Christ is Lord.... or we are lord.
Also: Concurrently, if we have not entered His rest the two most necessary, mysterious, and powerful elements of God for us depreciate in potential - His grace and peace.
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