Showing posts with label God's word. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's word. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Awesome Testimony!
Only When God Becomes All That We Want…Do We Truly See That He Is All We Need
Posted on:
December 12, 2012by Kevin Adams
It is impossible to please God without some measure of faith. But the prospect of living life entirely by it, is viewed as impractical, unnecessary, and foolish by many. After several years of learning to be a bit more foolish, I remain unconvinced as to which is more difficult: being willing to do anything for the Lord or willing to believe He would do anything for me.
Willingness to be foolish
Sunday morning at 10:15 the words “Stand up and sing” formed in my mind...and lingered there like those of an unforgettable friend. And ten minutes before the sermon would end I heard them again and again. “Stand up and sing… sing Jesus loves me!” I looked around at a thousand quiet souls and wondered who it might have been that said it. Some craning their necks toward the pulpit to catch every corporate word, others with arms outstretched and nodding agreeably at what they’d already heard. But not one, including the speaker, had requested a song or singer to interrupt with something completely absurd…like “Stand up Kevin and sing Jesus loves me”.
I looked at my watch then down at my feet until clarity wrapped around my dignity and began to sink its teeth. Either God has a plan and had taken time to speak or I was about to be crowned church idiot and king of all freaks. If God indeed has a plan then He surely has a voice but sometimes He just hauls off and forces us to make a choice….
Faith comes by the hearing of God’s word but only with rigorous testing will its measure increase. To that end, any David willing to dance before God with all his might must first count the cost of being despised by others in exchange for his Father’s delight. If you consider yourself a sheep in the fold of Jesus, one that hears His voice and follows, then I have a question: What would you do if He asked you to raise your hands and worship Him on the front porch or in the supermarket? Or maybe while in the mall or jogging with your iPod? The question is not whether we think it’s unnecessary or even senseless but instead whether we know the sound of His voice and are consumed by obedience to it.
So my moment of truth came down to this: Avoid the entire charade and risk offending God’s Spirit or move forward obediently and risk offending the minds of men. With legs a prickling and every ounce of blood attempting escape through my face, I two handed the back of the chair in front of me and began pulling myself into place – a standing position. And inching into my periphery was the nauseating blur of faces who were about to be embarrassed…for me.
Willingness to believe foolishly
By late summer we’d been awarded a substantial work contract which held the promise of meeting our financial needs for another year. But as the project began with great hope, so it began with a series of hopelessly unexpected interruptions. Three months and twice as many postponements later our summer of great expectation had given way to another November of desperation. After all, without the benefit of this income we’d literally lose every inch of ground that was gained the entire previous year, and more.
Yet throughout this journey the Lord without fail has sustained our every need by His abundant provision. And all the more generous at times, He has grown our faith by withholding that provision until all seemed lost. So with Christmas only weeks away, a delinquent mortgage and every resource exhausted, we waited patiently for the good news to come, until finally…with no time to spare…it came. We rejoiced that the project delays were over – hallelujah! On the other hand, the project was also over, cut from the budget at the eleventh hour without warning.
I’m not a pastor, theologian or teacher. I don’t have a church, a fan club or a flock. I’m just a regular guy with a testimony who would rather tear away empty pockets than fill them with empty promises. Before any of us can stand on the banks of the Red Sea and believe that it will open, we’ve got to learn the sound of God’s voice, like Moses at the burning bush. And then be consumed by obedience to it in spite of the doubting opinions of others, like Israel, who would rather remain safely in bondage.
Finally, we must become unshakable before the Godless kingdoms of this world, like Egypt, who will stop at nothing to keep us enslaved. Or mammon, the spirit that makes us cringe when we ask if the Good Samaritan would help the same man twice or three times...as long as needed, or stop when it begins to reduce his own storehouse.
It was no accident that every time Moses stepped out in faith God turned up the heat. From the unwinnable assignment, to Pharaoh’s hardened heart, to making bricks without straw, to being ridiculed by his own people, Moses was well prepared to face the impossible when it arrived. And right on time, after years of preparation, our very own Red Sea moment has arrived to daunt the natural eyes and remind us that God, not man, is our deliverer and God, not mammon, is our place of rest.
Willing to stand up and sing…or not.
By now, halfheartedly standing in church, like the lone awkward applauder at a social event or the guy who tried and failed to start the wave in a stadium, I would become the gladiatorial fool who disrupted the entire service to stand up and sing Jesus loves me…loudly. With a brief glance at the auditorium door to weigh my last options for avoiding embarrassment, having easily stood to make a simple dash for the bathroom, the other half of my heart with great unction joined rank against my flesh and laid itself on the altar.
Just as the hymn whispered up from my spirit, these words…“do not offend the speaker” settled on my shoulders like the insisting hands of a remarkably strong grandfather. My posture recognized the escape long before my understanding and slumped without hesitation into a deep sigh of thanksgiving – praise the Lord! Then…with only a minute left, the speaker led the congregation in prayer before making a strange request:
“You know what folks? This is going to seem cheesy but before we dismiss…let’s all stand up and sing Jesus loves me”
And without hesitation I knew…I knew that the Lord had just restored what the thief of my struggle had stolen. Jesus loves me…He really, really does. Three days later I shared my experience with the pastor. After a momentary pause, he looked at me with conviction and said:
“Wow Kevin… it wasn’t until the closing prayer that God gave me that song for the congregation. It wasn’t planned or even thought of until I prayed.”
We both smiled and pondered the love of a God who reminds us He’s there by testing the limits of our willingness. And I knew for sure that a God who would captivate me audibly and confirm it, is a God who would never allow the needs of my family to go unmet…ever.
Willing to believe in the foolish things
In an upside down it’s the foolish things, not the practical, that glorify the King. When the fool has a need…he meets the needs of another. When his hands are empty…he offers his hands instead. When his storehouse overflows he remembers that life is a vapor and counts giving as a much greater privilege than making his future a little safer.
When he is maligned he is kind and when he is about to faint from depression, he offers high praise to the Lord and for others he makes petition. When the fool is counted by men as foolish in faith, lazy when things look tough and lucky when things seem great, he rejoices.
'When others would vigorously interrupt to increase the importance of their confident ideas...the fool is always humble and slow to speak. Why? Because he knows and is continually trusting that it is God Who is truly in charge anyway, and His Holy Spirit the faithful teacher...and because He continually wants to make sure that it is not he himself that is increasing...but it is Christ!'
The fool also gives thanks and reflects on these one-time foolish things: God made a way for Noah to escape, Sarah to conceive, Isaac to leave the altar and Abraham to father nations, Jacob to prosper over Laban, Joseph to feed the nations, Moses to deliver a nation, Joshua to win the promised land, Gideon’s three hundred over more than a hundred thousand. And God gave David the favor for an everlasting throne, Elijah the speed to outrun a chariot and power to feed a widow for months from a single meal, Jeremiah the zeal to stand alone, Daniel the conviction to pray out loud and face death, Esther the favor at just the right hour, Nehemiah the vision to rebuild...and ultimately He made a way for the birth, sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord, Savior and King of everything to exchange Himself for a bride.
If the prospect of living entirely by faith (in the One crucified entirely for us) is academically risky, impractical and even foolish…then our fork in the road is clear:
To one side, these bold men and women of scripture are like wonderful cartoon characters that we quote on occasion for practical wisdom. To the other, they are real people with blood and gut testimonies that have become the victories of our inheritance. To one side, we see a Savior pointing to our bootstraps who is willing to help if we’re willing to grab them first. To the other, we see that only momentary affliction is able to burn away such a Christian centered veneer. To one side, we see that practical wisdom aims to make life safe by storing up treasure for later and avoiding risky mistakes. To the other, we see that wise decisions are not even possible when made by the spirit of fear. To one side, we see the more sensible answers from the minds of men. To the other, we see the truth as it rings sincere through the veil of Christian ease:
Only when God becomes all that we want do we truly see that He is all we need.
Final Note:
My wife and I began learning to trust the Lord for our every need about four years ago. Within that time He has met them all abundantly and in His generosity, increased our lives exponentially – teaching us the sound of His voice, freedom from fear, and how to step into our identity. He has set our children are on fire, unified our marriage, and prepared our hearts with zeal for service. But none of our growth came without testing – testing that teaches us to rest in the Father’s arms like happy children, no matter how ugly the circumstance or radically foolish His instructions appear before men. In short, God has used the struggle set before our eyes in 2008 to remove a thousand struggles from within our hearts along the way.
Today, having our last resource stripped away at the eleventh hour, when all is lost without it, the most difficult test we’ve faced since the journey began has arrived. And honestly… we are worn out, having no taste or patience for the superficial. Never the less, we do well to remember that living by faith is the only way to know who we really are – any of us. The more we are willing to courageously trust Him with our life, the more willing He is to trust us with His plan.
Through the continued encouragement of publishers and others, I’ve been working diligently on my writing project and remain excited. Good things are just around the corner. Until then, please pray that we might endure gracefully. And please take courage in your own testing that you are not alone in the fight of faith – affliction is momentary, rewards are overwhelming.
Lord, today, when all seems lost, as we face our own Red Sea moment, we boast in your mighty works and offer thanks for your good plans. We lift up our praise and declare that the same God who delivered Moses from Egypt and delivered us these past four years will deliver us again for the sake of His glory. 'Vindicate us before all men that our testimony would prove us weak and helpless, so that it is You alone that is shown to be our strength and salvation'.
For all who are tired of relying, even a little, on something other than God, today you can rest in His arms like a happy child. But if you need living proof then come along and see what He does next.
For prayer or encouragement please contact me by email: wakeupmyfaith@att.net Or connect on
facebook and Google+
About Kevin Adams
As a student of God's word, photographer and writer, my chief aim is to help followers of Christ apprehend a real and passionate faith through the study of His word, by simple illustration, and regular encouragement. And by this faith they might catch a vision of who God shaped them to become. This blog is an account of my own journey toward that real and passionate faith, starting at ground zero. I hope it will offer some encouragement to any who've set their mind on seeking God's face, whatever the cost.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Everything IS New!!
Absolutely Everything!!
A re-posting to encourage your walk...
Please revisit as often as you need to, as there is much to take in...
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
What Is IN God's Love? - Patience
We can possess better patience when we realize that most people are doing the best they can, especially when we consider all the factors that have made them who they are. Then even if they could do better, you probably can't force that to happen, and why would you want to?
For instance, your one year old is crawling and maybe even beginning to walk. She has the innate desire to explore and so she touches everything that is on her level. No matter if it could possibly hurt her, she will touch it anyway.
This is but one of a mixture of reasons she does this…and one does not need to go to college to know what they are. She is not only driven by her age, but she is also driven by her inborn temperament and personality…but with no practical knowledge to temper her exploration. Grasping this understanding makes it easier to have patience with her. However, sometimes we still get agitated and impatient until we practice keeping these very important facts in mind...that essentially, she is doing the best she can.
Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
Proverbs 2:2 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
Take a minute and think about the natural world around us. God's creation is another place to gain great insight as well. Look at a kangaroo for instance when you take your children to the zoo. Can it walk? No, at least not in the conventional sense. Kangaroos hop. Their legs cannot move independently of one another, so expecting kangaroos to walk or run like you and I would be ludicrous.
This gives a zoo keeper, for instance, all the patience in the world when trying to lead them from one place to another. He knows that this animal has fixed limits that cannot change, so getting impatient would be a waste of time and energy. Therefore, having this very basic knowledge gives him something very valuable and attainable - patience. This in turn leads to a more enjoyable experience as he works with these unique creatures.
God commands that we love...and patience is the first ingredient. (See 1 Cor. 13:4) Being patient with others shows them Christ...and it comes much easier with the understanding that most people are doing the best they can with what they have. ~
In fact this is why God is able to have such patience with us...and why He wanted us to taste, but not permanently stay trying to live up to the law -- because the law had zero patience...whereas Christ has immeasurable patience! Likewise why He wants us to emulate Christ so we can better obey His command to treat others as we would want others to treat us.
God understands that we are doing the best we can with what we have, this is why He has such patience with us ~
Psalm 103: 14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only
dust.
Romans 7: 8 I know that nothing good lives in me; that is, nothing good lives in my corrupt nature. Although I have the desire to do what is right, I don't do it. 19I don't do the good I want to do. Instead, I do the evil that I don't want to do. 20Now, when I do what I don't want to do, I am no longer the one who is doing it. Sin that lives in me is doing it. 21So I've discovered this truth: Evil is present with me even when I want to do what God's standards say is good. 22I take pleasure in God's standards in my inner being.
23However, I see a different standard [at work] throughout my body. It is at war with the standards my mind sets and tries to take me captive to sin's standards which still exist throughout my body. 24What a miserable person I am! Who will rescue me from my dying body? 25I thank God that our Lord Jesus Christ rescues me! So I am obedient to God's standards with my mind, but I am obedient to sin's standards with my corrupt nature.
Romans 9: 22 If
God wants to demonstrate his anger and reveal his power, he can do it. But can't
he be extremely patient with people who are objects of his anger because they
are headed for destruction? 23Can't God also reveal
the riches of his glory to people who are objects of his mercy and who he had
already prepared for glory? 24This is what God did
for us whom he called-whether we are Jews or not.
God wants us to be patient not only based on His command to do so, but also based on our understanding that most people are doing the best they can ~ as well as the understanding that when we are showing impatience it is usually because there is some demand we've made of another that was not met...meaning that they really had no choice as far as you were concerned. So impatience is many times brought on because we are only thinking of our own wants, as well as expecting that others should be and act like us...and not treating others in the same way we would want to be treated.
1 Cor. 9:22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.
Romans 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
Romans 14:1 Welcome people who are weak in faith (patience), but don't get into an argument over differences of opinion. (impatience)
Monday, February 11, 2013
The Masked Christian?
I remember what a Pastor once said, "We have to learn to be good at being wrong." David in the Psalms was called a man after God's own heart because he was good at being wrong.(Psalm 51) His fight to keep his sin from being exposed was fairly short lived, and then he was open and honest about his wrong doings...which makes me think he knew something about God that many of us don't. We hide and blame and get defensive...then argue and become self-righteous, all to cover up that we are insecure about the possibility that we may not be right.
Our will is quite stubborn. There are people that remind me of a 2 year old child...as I've seen two year olds hold their breath till they literally pass out! I guess I would say that the typical 2 year old is the epitome of the human nature. Do you know of any perpetual '2 year olds'?
We were born with a nature that at it's heart is self-centered. Therefore, because of pride, we have a hard time admitting that we are imperfect and very possibly wrong. This is however one of those things we must conquer in order to grow.
We have to take off the mask of pride, as it is imperative for us to humble ourselves and allow God to change the way we think, so we are OK with being an imperfect person in an imperfect body, among imperfect people in a world that is also imperfect...otherwise it will be very hard to embrace all of God's love (including loving God and neighbor as oneself), His ways and discipline...and therefore find any success in this Christian life.
Another big reason we quickly put on our mask of pride, is shame. Just as Adam and Eve ran from God and hid themselves out of disgrace, this is why we try and put up our defenses as well. However, Jesus also bore our shame and then ignored it, and by His example we can count it as nil too. Take time in Heb. 12- http://nlt.scripturetext.com/hebrews/12.htm
YES! We have His written word so we can feed on truth, the truth of God that sets us free. However, because we have a tendency to look at things very black and white as well as punitively because of the human nature we still battle with...we must read scripture in the light of Christ's life, grace and His Holy Spirit...other wise, we will have a tendency to read it as a rule book and feel condemned and shamed!
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Any Volunteers??
Once there was a very strong bridge builder who told all the people of his town to be at the mighty gorge promptly at 5pm, because he was going to show them something they would not want to miss! They all were excited because they thought they would be seeing the new bridge almost completed, which they needed for emergencies since they had only one other way in and out of town. When everyone arrived however, they saw only the first line that he stretches across when beginning to build a new bridge.
The man asked everyone if they believed he could walk it to the otherside of the gorge and back safely? Everyone cheered, "Yes, we have confidence in you and in the strength of that line, so of course we do!" So, he walked across and back safely. Then he asked, "Now, do you think I can carry this very heavy log with me as I do the very same thing once more?" Then again, everyone cheered...but with even more gusto!!! So, he picked up the large log and did it. Then as he stepped off the end he asked, "Now, do you also have faith that I can carry a person over and back with me like I did the log?" Everyone cheered loudly!!!! Then, he asked, "Any volunteers??"
James 2:18 Another person might say, "You have faith, but I do good things." Show me your faith apart from the good things you do. I will show you my faith by the good things I do.
Every 'faith'...true faith....has an action that follows. It might not be something you or I can see...but God can.When Jesus told certain people to do certain things in order to gain eternal life, it was not the 'doing' that saved them. It was not the selling of the rich man's possessions that would have saved him. It would have been the attempt and the doing that would have made it evident the condition of his heart towards God...as he would have been willing to remove the one thing that was the most important thing in his life that he believed sustained and fulfilled him, and therefore his willingness to believe would have been very evident, and significant!
Matthew 19: 16And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; 19HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 20The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property
So, if God asked you to give-up something, then your reaction to God uncovers and hi-lights the spot in your heart that has been taken-up by that thing you've been holding on to, and perhaps that thing that is hindering your very salvation. However, it may show your spiritual maturity and willingness to believe God when you will take the steps to allow God to take that thing and then replace it with something that is truly of God's Spirit.
Heb. 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who
initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured
the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside
God's throne.
Romans 10:17 Therefore faith is from the hearing
ear, and the hearing ear is from the word of God.
As we closely abide in God and His written word we get to know Him and subsequently His voice because we have come to know what He would say and what He wouldn't, and what He would do and what He wouldn't...so when He calls we can recognize it. Then each time God speaks to us concerning something He wants us to do, our response shows confident faith in God (or the lack of it).
Why do you trust the people that you trust? Doesn't it all have to do with the kind of relationship you have with them? I'm not talking about the label...mother, father, brother, friend, teacher or....
I am talking about the kind of closeness you have that has allowed you to get to know them so well that you know how much you can trust them. This is the kind of relationship God wants you to have with Him. This is what creates and grows faith. The faith that says to God, "I volunteer!"
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Words and Testimonies....
Be richly blessed by these words and testimonies.....
Words From the Heart, by Maria Rachinskaya from Russia ~
*Why Do People...
*Faith In Russia...
Testimony By Kevin Adams ~
*Awesome Testimony...
My Life and Testimony ~
*Navy Brat...
Friday, February 1, 2013
God's Character I
I've learned that God's love has some amazing attributes. Everything God does stems from His love. God's pure love softens hearts and gives sacrificially. Because He has no darkness in Him, His intentions are never-ever evil...or never even near it for that matter. He would not inspire anything that is not of the light.
God's love has no darkness, yet He can still be with, and love people in darkness - because love will set the limit of not participating in the things of darkness. In fact, His love has the profound capability to loosen the hold darkness has on sinners...because light expels darkness just by it's mere presence.
He would rather never have to dole out judgment...however, because He has no darkness in Him at all, He wants the same for His children. The things that reside in darkness are destructive, which is why He rejects them, and wants us to do the same.
Everything God does has strong intentions and purposes behind them...so when looking into God's written word this is the reason to never intentionally cut corners, but to take every word, every verse and every chapter in scripture seriously...and be diligent to understand what God is truly saying by making sure you know who is speaking to who, and about what, and why, so that your study and outcome can be approved by God.
Also, when He inspired the writers of scripture He would never have had them write something that would be out of His character. Therefore, we first must make sure we keep in mind that the actual author was not human, but God Himself. So when we are looking for answers it is important to realize they may not sound logical to what our human brain is used to!
-Click on images to enlarge-
God has high ideals, so we are to humbly study, seek and learn to be good at hearing from God, so that we are never allowing our human nature to be in charge so as to try and bring God down to our level...but instead we are always reaching upward...higher and higher...to His!
God showed us His character when He came down and dwelt among us in bodily form. Jesus was the exact representation of the Father. He walked among sinners and ate with them...in fact He went out of His way to be with those who were hated, and His love softened their hearts and disarmed them.
So any rebuking of sinners was either after they had rejected Christ's determined show of God's love for them...or because they were abusers, who were in the way of people coming to know God's love and plan for them. Time after time after time Christ showed God's amazing love....which was why people followed Him in droves. Then later on, St. Paul explained in words what Christ had already exemplified...so that we can walk as He walked.
Yes, He rebuked others. He rebuked those that tried to keep children away from Him. He rebuked demons and the devil when he tried to tempt Him. He also rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith, or if they said things that those who actually spent as much time with Jesus as they did should never say, then He would.
God wants so much for everyone to be saved. Therefore He wants us to learn to live in the world without being of it...therefore to be as patient as we can with unbelievers before we decide to brush the dust off our feet. To treat them the way we would have wanted to be treated if we were in their shoes. They do not have the new nature and the power of the Holy Spirit to help them deal with sin. Please click on this URL to read 1 Cor. 5 -http://niv.scripturetext.com/1_corinthians/5.htm
I just recently wrote a post about walking with Christ...becoming yoked with Him. When we decide to do this, we also have to be willing to walk in the light. SO, what is IN the light anyway?
More to come....
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Dear God, When Can I Just BE?
Everything has been met in Christ. Every requirement. Yes. Above are just some of the scriptures that tell us how Christ has satisfied and met the demands of each of the important areas of the Christian's life...
Then because this is true, there is only one requirement...one thing God wants from Christians such as you and I. Because everything is already satisfied in Jesus, then wouldn't it make sense to begin following Him? Yes, I know that you have already accepted Christ as your Savior and even your Lord as far as trying to trust Him with the various areas of your life. But have you begun following Him in the true sense? Have you begun this journey of walking with Him?
Following and walking with Him, and then after time you're walking like Him...and then in time you begin feeling right at home and find that you are not 'doing' anymore...no, you are being! You begin growing again, and even in how you see God. He has not only made His home in you, but you have in Him.
Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
He wants you to have an abundant life. He wants to teach you how to be a true "be-er" Christian...which is much much better than being a doer Christian.
1 John 2:6
Whoever claims to live in Him ought walk as Jesus did.
Ephesians 3:14-19
"14When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. 17Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
Can you understand how much God wants to be not just a part of your life...but to BE your life? Spiritually it has already happened if Christ is in you...but has it happened in how you live? You were created in His image, and this is why God wants you to mature in your walk...as you begin walking closely with Christ Who will help you to become much closer to who you were originally created to BE!!
1 Cor. 6:17
But the person who unites himself with the Lord becomes one spirit with Him.
If you notice up in the picture, under Gifts...that scripture tells us that the gifts and callings He has given each person cannot be withdrawn...or your bible might say, "without repentance". The gifts He has bestowed on you, you can't walk away from and then later ask forgiveness for doing something else instead. Why?
Because, when God created you He had a specific plan for your life that would fulfill you and make you you and make you whole...so you feel good in your own skin, and are vital and productive! But you will not "be made complete with all the fullness of life and power" until you make it your goal to actually begin taking steps to follow...putting His yoke upon you...and begin walking with Christ in all you do.
When you decide to walk closely along side Him, Jesus said in Matt. 11:30 that His yoke will be easy and His burden is light.
Enjoy your relationship with Him as you spend time getting to know Him in a closer way...as you open up your heart to scripture and Christ's words in the gospels, and allow yourself unceasing communication (prayer throughout the day that should come more naturally then planned) and letting Christ guide your days...keeping in step with His Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23)
1 Thess. 5:17-18
Pray without ceasing. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will
for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Col. 2:3
Christ, In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
He wants to spend time with you and teach you what it truly means to "be crucified with Christ and it is no longer you who live, but Christ that lives in you" (Gal. 2:20)...then in so doing you end up finding you!
Eph. 5:2
Live a life filled with love, following the example of
Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma
to God.
1 Peter 4:2
As a result you may spend the rest of your earthly
lives, governed not by human passions (Gal. 5:19-21), but by the will of God.
Blessings!!!
(If you have questions, let me know:)
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Guest Author For This Post: Maria Rachinskaya from Russia
“However when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:8
As for me it’s probably one of the most stunning questions that Jesus has ever asked. The Lord, the Creator came to His people and became one of them, some of the most devoted ones were with Him during three years listening every His word and learning from Him… and after that He wondered if people believe in Him, if there is the faith on the earth.
Let’s imagine… what if He decided to just come again to us to find the faith among people as He went down to Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:21). What would He find?
I thought about my country, people around me, my church and me. How would we receive Him? Unfortunately, I started to realize that an idea of near God involved to the lives of His beloved people is hard to be understood in Russia. For a long time Russian thinking has been affected by Orthodoxy.
As the world goes a huge part of Russian people consider themselves being orthodox while prevailing part of them confine themselves to knowing some religious ceremonies and celebrating Christian feasts according to worldly traditions.
No doubts there are a lot of sincerely believers among the orthodox people but I would like to give some thoughts about the influence on those who don’t want to come closer to God. What do people learn from Orthodoxy? There are great amount of the Saints who are believed to be intermediary between people and God. It may seem that God is too busy for taking care about His sons and daughters and too independent, emotionally distant from His people.
In Russian people‘s mind God is he to whom you would go only in the exceptional case. Many rites need to be followed if you have troubles. It probably doesn’t concern people’s hearts, there is no need to cooperate with Him: do what you are said and wait for the improvements in your life. This leads those who sincerely come to the Lord are far from identification themselves as “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9).
God seems to do not deal with the ordinary people as you and me, only the priests can dare to come nearer to Him. There is another side of such understanding. Once you want to be closer to God you decided to deserve His attention, try to earn His grace. It’s still difficult to me as well to refuse an idea of earning His love by self- righteousness.
Being a protestant I can sometimes observe the following idea in believers around me and in me as well: no matter how hard you try, you can do your best… however you will still feel ashamed before the Lord, you won’t feel forgiven and beloved by God because you don’t really realize that God desires relationships with you to death, He is not passive and in Christ He became near.
At the moment I would like to reflect on this: why after Christ’s death and resurrection, after Him being one of us, as close to us as He can be, after all that He did, He is still so distant? May be there is really no faith in our hearts? For a lot of Russian people God is either too busy or too angry at people. In both cases He is practically inaccessible.
If He decided to become person again, if we saw Him in the flesh would we realize that He is near? that He doesn’t need our services? that He loves us with all His heart? would we answer His Love with all our passion, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength (Mark 12:30)?
When the Son of Man comes to my country, to my church, to my family, to me… what will He find?
You can find +Мария Рачинская on Goggle
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