Marriage

I like how when man (male and female) was created, God called them Adam (Mankind).

And then I love how Adam had the joy or authority in naming what God had created, including his helper comparable to him, and he named her Eve.

I also like how Eve was formed out of the rib of Adam, and I have always said to myself how a rib protects the heart. And from my perspective my respect would protect his heart and in a way, his ability to breathe.

So I see them protecting and loving each other the way God designed marriage to be.

A picture I would present to people I spoke to is that I would cup my hands together, palms facing one over each other (fingers to wrist) and say when respect and love come together they cup together beautifully with room in the middle.

So the picture below kind of shows that perspective. Her motivating factor is love and his respect, and that is not to rule out the opposite for each other but it is what leads.

For her, love will lead but it includes respect, and for him, respect leads, but it also includes love.

If he feels respect you are loving him and if she feels love, you are respecting her.

Lol, this is coming from someone who has never been married but it is just what God has shown me.

So, I pray for divine love and care to be in your marriages today and always. Draw from His presence as you give to each other. Be kind be gentle, be love!

For those who have loved and yet lost, I'm sorry, no condemnation.❤

FAITH

Quote:
The trial of Abraham's faith was that he
simply and fully obeyed the call of God.

 

Abraham went out by faith not knowing where he was going. He dwelled in the land of promise like a foreign country and.......
Heb 11:10 For he (Abraham) looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

 

This prompted me to think how sometimes we / I really want to know the big picture. God, where am I going what am I doing? And it is OK to ask. It is good to ask and to get insight, as we are encouraged to hear from God for direction.

 

But in this, I have to be at times reminded to trust, be faithful, be patient.

 

Even when Abraham got to the land of promise he dwelt there by faith.

 

I too am encouraged to dwell, live, walk by faith. To keep my eyes on Him. To live fully in my present position as I move onward in call and purpose. To be FAITHfilled obeying His direction and directive as I keep the perspective of eternity in my heart. And to remember in the process, to enter HIS rest.

 

He is LOVE.   Enter that REST

Jesus Christ - the author and finisher of our FAITH,
Who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2

Leave your baggage behind

During a group worship time this week I saw this picture.

It was of a person carrying an old suitcase. The person walks to the kerb and in a short moment a bus comes along. The person, 'leaves that old case on the kerb', gets on the bus with a looking forward not looking back. The doors shut, and the bus pulls away on to the next destination.

It was a picture where people can at times carry a bag holding things of the past and still be defined by them; shame, things that created pain, memory of sin, etc.

So, to me it was an encouragement for people in their journey with Jesus to leave those things behind. I love the word in Isaiah..."don't remember the former things, don't consider the things of old, behold I do a new thing" (Is 43:18).

Sometimes it seems hard to not pick up the old stuff again, and sometimes, to even let it go in the first place. But trust God's word when He says you are a new creation. Let Him do the work in you.

So if you are carrying some stuff, step into the freedom that is yours in Christ. Leave that old case there on the kerb.... don't look back and don't go pick it up again.

And for some help, some lyrics of an old song came to my thoughts as I wrote this..
If the enemy starts to remind you of your past (don't listen), you just remind him of his future.

(Carman - Revival in the Land).   :)

 

Encouragement - I am unlocking you!

Word of encouragement from Leon Bites.   06/2016

I heard the Spirit of the Lord say,

 

‘There is unlocked potential in you and promises spoken over you that have been unfulfilled. But see now ...that I am taking the keys and unlocking the dusty chest to release these things. You are going to form new skills and abilities that you never knew you had, even in areas that you struggle in, and promises once spoken over you are going to come to pass.’

 

This is a journey that He wants to take with you.

 

That you would sit with him when He opens the chest, to find the hidden potential together. And that you would co-work with God, to move and grow in these previously unknown abilities and know the promises that are going to be fulfilled.

 

For, just like a parent, God enjoys and loves seeing you thrive and do well with what you have. He wants to share in the joy with you as you rediscover yourself, and see blessings come into your life......Lion Bites

 

..................................................................................................................................................................

This was an encouragement that I saw on my FB page and it spoke to me.  I can see the Lord doing things in my life now, and thankfully I am responding like I have not done in the past.  I am responding with FAITH, and with obedience more than fear.

 

I have been asked to facilitate and share with new Christians and people who have gone through tremendous tough times the foundational studies in God.  This is all wonderful but I have always felt like...

 

Moses:        'Lord, I can't speak'.

 

Jeramiah:    'Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth'

 

even though Jeremiah used the reason for I am a youth I have only just now seen that reason.  All I could see were my reasons... reason's why I can't speak.  Why I am not qualified.

 

But God said to  Jeremiah:

 

"Do not say, 'I am a youth' (or I am this or that), For you shall go to all to whom I send you. And whatever I command you, you shall speak.  Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord

 

But God said to  Joshua:

 

"Be strong and of good courage, Only be strong and of good courage, and finally...

Have I not commanded you, "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go".

 

 

It must be the Lord as I am walking through the fear and stepping out in FAITH.  I prepare the lesson and each time I drive to the ministry centre I am praying, Lord, today, give me the anointing to teach, to speak, to comprehend and share what I know is in my heart and spirit.  Holy Spirit, speak through me the words that the class needs to hear and be encouraged with.

 

Last week, although I have notes as a guide it was important to asked myself, what do I know that is real to me on this topic, so that insight flows from my heart to the heart of those here.

 

So, at the end, as we were packing up I heard one of the guys say 'that was mad' but meaning GOOD.  And I thought, thank you God, thank you.  Thank you Holy Spirit.

 

I was reminded of a time (approx. yr 2002) when I was listening to a visiting speaker and in his sharing a scripture, I knew that God was speaking to me as I felt the fire of God from the top of my head to the tip of my toe and it sat on me for a short while.  I was emotionally moved and thought, God, what are you trying to tell me, and I believe that God was encouraging me way back then but it really has taken me all this time to really trust and put aside my own view of inadequacies.

 

1 Cor 2:1-5

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God, For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.  And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

 

I still am not sure what God is doing as I am not a natural teacher, but often God will use people where they are not necessarily 'natural' in, for His 'supernatural' purposes.  But, to be confident in who my God is and to know that I am a vessel.  To not be afraid of the faces, and to do my best, and if I fail... it is OK.  It is OK.  To trust God.  He is working.  He is doing something.  I know this is God leading me to this moment.  To let Go and Trust God.

 

Amen.

 

 

Miracles

You, every one of you are God the Father's special miracles. His miracle working power has given you life where there was no light or life in or of yourself.

 

He formed you and then (in Christ) He transforms you.

 

 

 

 

 

I wrote the above on my FB page and had the hashtag   #believe

 

Here I will elaborate further...

 

The scripture that I was going to add to #believe was Rom 10:13

 

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved

 

It is very important, although a miracle - our birth - who we are - we being thought of before time by God, and our form and frame fashioned by Him, the miracle of a new birth still awaits us.

 

Salvation in Christ.

 

Yes, He formed you and then (in Christ - the new birth) He transforms you.

 

Like the picture below

 His miracle working power has given you life where there was no light or life in or of yourself.

 

 

 

 OPEN YOUR HEART AND RECEIVE JESUS

 

 Amen

 

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Jesus the Christ

So Jesus goes from Galilee to Judea. In the middle of the celebrated feast He goes into the temple and teaches.

 

He says, 'if any man thirst, let Him come to me and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the scripture has said, out of His belly shall flow rivers of living water. (here He was talking about receiving the Holy Spirit which would be given once He was glorified).

 

The response by those listening was...
He is the Prophet
Some said, this is the Christ
But some doubted and said, shall the Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the scriptures said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem where David was?

 

Did they recognized something in Him; His teaching with authority and the miracles? But did they discounted it only because they didn't realize he was as the prophets had declared - The seed of David and out of the town of Bethlehem.

 

I wonder what their response would have been if they realized that the very One they were looking for was standing right in front of them?

 

I found this comment on a website and talking about the probability of only 8 prophecies about Jesus be fulfilled, with the answer as 1 in 1017...  That's 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000.

“The fact is, the birth, crucifixion, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ are celebrated worldwide by folk of every race, language, and colour, every year. And believing in Jesus, they have been delivered from the most evil, disastrous, frustrating, debilitating habits and life forms possible. The real problem with Jesus Christ is not that folk can't believe in Him—but that they won't believe in Him.” My friend, in all honesty, what are the chances you've not been altogether objective about the nature of the baby born in Bethlehem? What if the baby was God? What if He is God? What if you are to submit your life to Him?

 

 

Seeing Life through the Lens of Jesus Christ

I was just now thinking how really blessed I am. And this doesn't come because I have not had any trials or issues... but as this quote puts it....

 

Seeing life through the lens of Jesus Christ.
Some of us wear glasses. It seems that the older I become, the more my lenses seem to change. No matter what pair of glasses any of us may wear, the lenses are designed to help us to see more clearly. The metaphor of a lens is also appropriately used to help us figure out how we a...re to see life. In a nutshell, it’s why we’re spending a year studying Jesus. He is the lens through which we are to see life.

 

So, it is my 'life's journey' (not a year) to learn of Jesus, His heart and ways. Walk together, do life together, and in learning of Him and His ways I know that His perspective will take seed in my heart and become mine. I only want to see life through His eyes.

 

These thoughts started with me thinking about how blessed I am with my job. God knows the circumstances and how it fits into my life. Just recently my hours have dropped but I see that I can use the time to prepare for classes that I am now involved in.

 

God knows the future!

Let Peace Rule

I was listening to a message on Col 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

It is pointed out that in this context he is helping the Colossians to live in unity and ensure peace within their fellowship. To get along with each other. To put off things which mar your communication and put on mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Forbearing and forgiving one another ...as Christ has forgiven you; so, let the peace of God rule in your hearts; members together, peace in your hearts for each other.

I always saw peace rule in your hearts as individual, and our help for guidance (peace through the Holy Spirit - an umpire), which it is, but within the above context - the preacher is encouraging the dwelling together in unity and in love. Let peace rule!

Be together and dwell together.... having:
The peace of Christ in our fellowship
The word of Christ in our fellowship
The Lordship of Christ in our fellowship

I just shared it with my friend and she said
in joyfulness..... 'oh, its a ONE ANOTHER verse'. 

(Simon Manchester - St Thomas Anglican Church, North Sydney)

T

The

T

We Are In The New

Imagine this...

John the Baptist is standing in the Jordan. He has been sent by God to water baptize people in preparation for the coming of a new Kingdom. He knows that he will witness the coming of the Messiah.

One day he sees Jesus coming to him and he knows in his heart (revelation) that this is the Lamb of God (the sacrifice) who will take away the sin of the world. No one else could do it.

Jesus and John talk; John is hesitant to baptize the Messiah, well aware of his own need to be baptized and cleansed by Jesus.

So John baptizes Jesus to fulfill all righteousness, and as God has told John to watch, he sees the Spirit, the Holy Spirit descending from heaven and remaining on Jesus, revealing in certainty that Jesus, who stands before him, is the Christ!

And in that moment, John says....he knows... that Jesus is the One. The Christ who has ALL authority; authority to save people from their sins, and power to baptise with the Holy Spirit. And there, John, in knowing, gives witness that Jesus IS the Son of God.

And John's journey here is near it's end.

The handing over of a prophet under the old covenant to He that was prophesied of, as Saviour to bring in the New.  The beginning of the 3 year journey to Calvary. A journey of love. Signs and miracles following Him. A witness to His being the Messiah. A Saviour, a Friend. The only One who could set the captives (that's you and me) free. Free by way of the cross, His death for our sin. And to think, that as you believe in your heart, by a divine act of God, the Holy Spirit comes to live in you. The Spirit birthed in power in you, make this all a reality; yes, you are free!

You are His. Forgiven. Restored to God. Free. Death defeated by the Righteousness of One, the Christ. That which had been prophesied years before.

So, as believers we have the very Spirit of God; the same Spirit at creation that hovered over the waters; the same Spirit at the Jordan the day Jesus came forth, remaining on Him and raising Him from the dead. The same Spirit poured out at Pentecost.

His very Spirit is living in you and me.

His very Spirit baptizing you into resurrection life.

Wow!!! Imagine! The works He did; The witness, the salvations, the healings, the lives changed, the one's, the two's, the hundreds, the thousands. Think about His disciples; the prayers and the worship to God. The works, the witness, the salvations - God working through them. Nothing has changed, He is still the same; same heart, same power, same mission.

Believers..... His blood, His body, His Spirit!

The same Gospel, call and mission.

His desire is that none perish, and all come to repentance in Christ the Son. Restored to the Father.

To all who worship in spirit and truth!

To God be the Glory

.Amen