Friday, December 23, 2016

His Birth and Ours

'Behold, the virgin shall...bear a Son, and they 
shall call His name Immanuel...God with us.' 
Matthew 1:23

'Jesus Christ is not a man becoming God, but 
God Incarnate--God coming into human flesh from 
outside it. HIs life is the highest and the holiest 
entering through the most humble of doors. Have 
allowed my personal human  life to become a 
"Bethlehem" for the Son of God?'  (OC)

Reader, We have had WINTER since the beginning
of December. Days of snow and ice, fog, and bitter
cold. Dark days, short days. I have always dreamed
about a white Christmas--without all the
inconveniences! You know, 'the horse knows the way
to carry the sleigh through white and drifting snow...
to grandmother's house we go.' Well, this grandmother
is hoping she can get to the airport on time, that the
planes will be flying, that there is still a warm sunny
spot in the country!

Having said all that, I realize that all of this is just
window dressing compared to our incomparable Jesus!
May you become 'His Bethlehem,' his resting place,
this Christmas season.

We do not know what 2017 holds, but we do know
Who holds the future.

See you in the New Year!



Monday, December 19, 2016

Not My Own


'Do you not know that...you are not your own?'
1 Corinthians 6:19

'The first thing God does is get us grounded on 
strong reality and truth. Why shouldn't we
experience heartbreak? Through those doorways
God is opening up ways of fellowship with His 
Son. If God can accomplish His purposes in this 
world through a broken heart, then why not
thank Him for breaking yours?'
(OC)

Reader, this is a timely message for me. How
about you?

Friday, December 16, 2016

Joseph Poured a Cup of Wine

Yesterday I shared some about a bride and groom
whose lives were upended almost before the ink
was dry on the contract. Right after the signing,
Joseph poured a cup of wine for his bride which
sealed their marriage.

'And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks
he gave it to them saying, 'Drink of it, all of you,
for this is my blood of the covenant which is 
poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I
tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the 
vine until that day when I drink it new with you in
my Father's kingdom.  (Matt 26:27-29)

Our groom also sealed His marriage with us by a
cup of wine passed to his disciples. The cup that he
called, 'my blood of the covenant poured out for
many for the forgiveness of sins.' Jesus went on to
say that he would not drink wine again until we, His
bride, are gathered to Him in His Father's kingdom,
for He will bring us to the Father's house. The more
you study the pattern of the Jewish wedding in the
time of Jesus, the more you will understand Who it
is that we wait for.

Reader, this very season of Christmas brings us to
the next big prophetic event, the snatching away of
the bride. Just as a Jewish man of old suddenly came
to the place of his beloved with lots of noise and the
blowing of horns to take her away, so we will hear
the trumpet and a call to come away! We are told to
comfort one another with these words. (1Thes 5:11)




Thursday, December 15, 2016

Mary and Joseph

One day a young man went to the house of his
beloved, carrying a marriage contract and a bottle
of wine. The father answered the knock and the
two sat down together. Joseph asked to marry the
man's daughter. The father called in his 14 year old
daughter to see if she was willing to become his
wife. Mary said 'yes' and the marriage contract was
signed. Joseph then poured a cup of wine and both
drank from the cup which signified that they were
now man and wife. They would not be together
again until the day that Joseph came to get his bride
to take her home to his house, usually one to two
years.

There is so much to ponder here. We know the rest
of the story, but they had no idea just how much
their lives would change in that year of waiting:

A surprise visit from an angel; a 'be it unto me 
according to your word,' by a stunned Mary; 
a dream given to a devastated, distraught, 
overwhelmed groom--but did Joseph believe it 
to be real when the sun came up and everything 
looked normal?

This young couple went step by step. Mary left
to spend time with her previously infertile cousin
who was now very pregnant. What an encourage-
ment to both women. Mary then returned to the
village of Nazareth, with the shame of a growing
belly until the couple left for Bethlehem. How
many of her friends and family do you think really
believed that her pregnancy was supernatural????

Reader, I am somewhat overwhelmed by this story
and all the implications so easily passed over. I
would suggest that Mary carried the stigma of the
'unplanned' pregnancy all her life. Jesus was also
affected by their scorn as he grew up there.
Nazareth was the place where Jesus performed
few miracles 'because of their unbelief.'

I think it is a good thing to take some quiet moments
and think more deeply about the culture of that day
and what affect obedience had on one particular
family.



Tuesday, December 13, 2016

The Trial of Faith

'If you have faith as a mustard seed...
nothing will be impossible for you.'
          Matthew 17:20

'Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary
discipline of life, because a great deal of what
we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result
of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is
faith in God coming against everything that
contradicts Him--a faith that says, 'I will remain
true to God's character whatever He may do.'
(OC)

AMEN! So be it, Lord.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Desire, by CS Lewis

'If I find in myself a desire which no experience in the
world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that
I was made for another world. If none of my earthly
pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe
is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant
to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real
thing. If that be so, I must take care, on the one hand,
never to despise, or to be unthankful for, these earthly
blessings, on the other hand, never to mistake them for
something else of which they are only a kind of copy,
or echo, or vestige. I must keep alive in myself the
desire for my true country, which I shall not find till
after death; I must never let it get snowed under or
turned aside: I must make it the main focus of life to
pass on to that country and to help others do the same.'
(CS Lewis Mere Christianity)

Friday, December 9, 2016

Pleasing to Him

'Without faith it is impossible to please Him.
(Hebrews 11:6)

'Faith must be tested and tried before it becomes a
reality in your life so that no matter what happens,
the transforming power of God's providence
transforms perfect faith into reality. Faith is the
entire person in the right relationship with God
through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.'
(OC)

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Substitution

'He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for
us, so that we might become the righteousness
of God.   (II Corinthians 5:21)

'Through identification with His death I can
be freed from sin, and have His very
righteousness imparted as a gift to me. The
teaching is not Christ for me unless I am
determined to have Christ formed in me.'
(OC)

Reader, The Lord Jesus came to earth as a
babe in order to become sin so that we could
have His righteousness. Something to ponder
in this season of parties, food and fellowship. 

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Be It Unto Me

Several churches here in town have given up
members to form a choir just for this season.
We will sing on Sunday and both of us are
singing--tenor! One of the pieces is posted
below. We may not be this good, but we are
almost there! The cantata begins at 4PM at
the vendome. You are all welcome!

"And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the
Lord; be it unto me according to your word...'
Luke 1:38

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7s3b5N5myg


Tuesday, December 6, 2016

By Faith Alone

...much more, having been reconciled,
we shall be saved through His life.
            Romans 5:10

When I turn to God and by belief accept what
God reveals, the miraculous atonement by the
Cross of Christ instantly places me into a right
relationship with God. And as a result of the
supernatural miracle of God's grace I stand
justified, not because I am sorry for my sin,
but because of what Jesus has done. 
(Oswald Chambers)

Reader, what Chambers is saying to the minds
of long ago, is that the death of Jesus paid for
our sins through the shedding of His blood and 
that the Cross of Christ puts us into fellowship 
with the living God. We can't work for it, we 
can only receive it as truth.

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Fire

Fires in Israel, fires in Tennessee, fire in Oakland and
a 12 alarm fire in Cambridge. David Wilkerson wrote
a book many years ago that has the word 'Trumpet'
in the title. It was a warning call to America. The first
sentence reads, 'America will be destroyed by fire.' I
assumed it would be some kind of nuclear blast but
now I wonder... I came across a very interesting blog
and will post it below. For some it will be confusing,
but it is worth while to plow through and see where
MP is going with all the numbers.

http://www.dailycrow.com


Friday, December 2, 2016

The Proper Perspective

"Thanks be to God who always
leads us in triumph in Christ."
(2 Cor 2:14)

'The proper perspective to maintain is that 
we are here for only one purpose--to be 
captives marching in the procession of 
Christ's triumphs. We are encompassed 
with the sweet aroma of Jesus, and where-
ever we go we are a wonderful refreshment
to God.' (Oswald Chambers)

Reader, we triumph only because we are
IN Christ Jesus. Glory!

Thursday, December 1, 2016

All Things Become New

A couple of days ago I went through eight scriptures
about the 'New YOU.' That was just the tip of the
iceberg...

Your old self was killed (crucified)
'We know that our old self was crucified with him
in order that the body of sin might be brought to
nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved 
to sin.' (Rom 6:6)

You are a new creation (even if you don't feel it
is so--or act like it)
'Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation.' (2 Cor 5:17)

You are justified and redeemed (already)
'And you are justified by his grace as a gift, 
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.'
(Rom 3:24)

You are accepted. (Have you not fought for this
all your life?)
'Therefore welcome one another as Christ has
welcomed you, for the glory of God.' (Rom 15:7)

You are a son and an heir.
'So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if 
son, then an heir through God' (Gal 4:7)

You are chosen, holy, blameless before God.
'Even as he chose us before the foundation of 
the world, that we should be holy and blameless 
before him.' (Eph 1:4)

Reader, If you are in Christ because you have
received the salvation that He has offered you,
then, all these things are yours, in Christ Jesus.
Pick one of these verses, write it out, look at the
context, mull it over. May God write it on your
heart!




Wednesday, November 30, 2016

The Old Life--Gone

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away; all things have
become new."  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

'God pays no respect to anything we bring to 
Him. There is only one thing God wants of us, 
and that is our unconditional surrender.'
(Oswald Chambers)

Reader, So easy to read but so hard to put
into practice!

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

The New You

What does God say about you as a believer?

You are not condemned!
'There is therefore no condemnation for those 
who are in Christ Jesus.' (Rom 8:1)

You are free from the law of sin and death
'For the law of the Spirit of Life has set you 
free from the law of sin and death.' 
(Rom 8:2)

You are Sanctified (holy and set apart)
'To the church that is in Corinth, to those 
sanctified in Christ, called to be saints...'
(1Cor 1:2)
(Notice that Paul is addressing a church whose
performance left much to be desired.)

You are the righteousness of God
'For our sake he made him to be sin who 
knew no sin so that in him we might become 
the righteousness of God.' (2Cor 5:21)

You were created for good performance (and I
can let Christ live in me to perform it.)
'For we are his workmanship, created in 
Christ Jesus for good works, which God 
prepared beforehand, that we should walk 
in them.' (Eph 2:10

You are complete (perfect)
'For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells 
bodily, and you have been filled in him.'
(Col 2:9,10)

You are raised up with Him
'If then you have been raised up with Christ, 
seek the things above...'(Col 3:1)

Your life is hidden with Christ in God
'For you have died, and your life is hidden with
Christ in God. (Col 3:3)

Reader, by now you must be jumping with joy! I
am. And these verses are only a small taste of what
we have IN Christ. You see, dear one, everything
we are and everything we have is rooted IN Christ,
NOW, in the present.

Monday, November 28, 2016

Consecrated to Him

For the past nine blogs I have been sharing
The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee.
If you have missed any, go back because
each one builds on previous blogs.

The study has now brought us to the point where
we will discover the true nature of consecration.

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal 
body, that ye should obey the lusts thereof: 
neither present your members unto sin as 
instruments of unrighteousness; but present 
yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, 
and your members as instruments of 
righteousness unto God.
(Rom 6: 12,13 KJV)

The operative word here is 'present' which occurs
five times in verses 13,16,19. Paul is not speaking
of the 'Old Nature' with its instincts, resources,
natural wisdom, or strength given to the Lord for
His use. No, he says, 'present yourselves unto 
God, as alive from the dead.' For what is here 
refers not to the consecration of anything 
belonging to the old creation, but only that which 
has passed through death to resurrection. When 
I really KNOW I am crucified with Him, then 
spontaneously I reckon myself dead (verses 6,11); 
and when I KNOW that I am raised with Him from 
the dead, then likewise reckon myself 'alive unto 
God in Christ Jesus. (verses 9,11) 

Death has cut off all that cannot be consecrated to 
Him, and resurrection alone has made consecration 
possible. Presenting myself to God means that 
henceforth I consider my whole life as belonging to 
God. (Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life)

Reader, for many of you this is new. I love going
back over what helped to set me free in Christ a
number of years ago. It becomes illusion when
faced with a culture and church who preach that
'if we do this, then we will get that.' Paul preaches
that first you die, then you are raised to new life as
a new creation. My challenge to you is to be a
'Berean' and study this in scripture as to whether
this be so.







Wednesday, November 23, 2016

A Tremendous Truth

In the death of Christ, we died. True?
Just as we cannot have salvation if we do not see that
He bore our sins on the Cross, so we cannot have
sanctification if we have not seen Him bearing us on
the Cross.

How did you receive forgiveness? You realized that
the Lord Jesus died as your substitute and that He
bore your sins away. Do you not praise and thank
Him for saving you? In the same way that we
received salvation, we receive sanctification--by
faith. Thus there is no need to pray, "I am a very
wicked person. Lord, please crucify me! That is all
wrong. Just as your sins were dealt with by His
blood, you were dealt with by His Cross. It is an
accomplished fact. All that is left for you to do is to
praise the Lord that when He died, you died also.

Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Our old man was crucified with Him (Romans 6:6)
We died with Christ. (Romans 6:8)

What died with Christ? Our old man died.

When Christ died, YOU died. You are done with.
You are ruled out. The self you loathe is on the
Cross in Christ. And, 'he that is dead is freed 
from sin. (Rom 6:7) This is the Gospel for the
Christian!

Man's way is to try to suppress sin by seeking to
overcome it; God's way is to remove the sinner.
If we are preoccupied with the power of sin and
with our inability to overcome it, then we
naturally conclude that to gain victory over sin,
we must have more power. So we plead with God
to strengthen us that we may have more self-control.

But this is not Christianity. God's means of setting
us free from sin, is to make us weaker. God set us
free from the dominion of sin, not by strengthening
the old man, by by crucifying him. The discovery
of your helplessness and His victory will bring an
end to human striving, self hate and self-effort.
(Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life)

Reader, I pray for each of you that you will grasp
the incredible freedom that is waiting for you in
Christ.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

A New Creation

Our old history ends with the Cross; our new history
begins with the resurrection. 

"If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: 
the old things are passed away; behold they are 
become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The cross terminates the first creation, and out of 
death there is brought a new creation in Christ, the 
Second Man. 
If we are in 'Adam' all that is in Adam necessarily 
devolves upon us; it becomes ours involuntarily, for 
we have to do nothing to get it. There is no need to 
make up or minds to  lose our temper or to commit 
some other sin; sin comes to us naturally and despite 
how much we try to be good. In a similar manner if 
we are 'in Christ' all that is in Christ comes to us by
free grace, without effort on our part. It is on the 
ground of simple faith. 
It is a four step process. 
1 Knowing
2 Reckoning 
3 Presenting ourselves to God, 
4 Walking in the Spirit. (Watchman Nee)

Does this sound a bit complicated?
How does it work out in life?
Above all, does scripture back it up?

In the next few blogs Nee will go into just how
we can make it part of our Christian experience'

May you have a blessed Thanksgiving!



Monday, November 21, 2016

The Paper; The Book

Romans 5 introduces us to contrast, that of being
in Adam or being in Christ.

"As through one man's (Adam) disobedience, the
many were made sinners, even so, through the 
obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made 
righteous. (Romans 5: 19) 

In Adam we receive everything that is in Adam;
in Christ we receive everything that is in Christ.
When He was crucified we were crucified there
with Him, because we had been placed in Him.

Nee gives an illustration of a piece of paper that is 
separate from a book. He puts the paper into a 
book and then sends the book to a friend. He sent 
the book, not the paper, but because the paper was 
in the book the paper went with the book. The paper 
has to go where the book goes. It is not separate
from the destiny of the book.

In 1 Corinthians 15:45,47, Jesus is spoken of as
being the Last Adam and the Second Man. As the
last Adam, Christ is the total sum of humanity;
as the Second Man He is the head of a new race.
As the Last Adam His union with the human race
began in Bethlehem and ends at the Cross and the
Tomb--where He took judgement and death. Our
union with Him as the Second Man begins in
resurrection and ends in never ending Eternity. He 
rose again as Head of a new race of men, in whom 
that purpose will eventually be fully realized. As 
Adam He wiped out the old race; as the Second 
Man, He brings in the new race.

"For if we have been planted together in the 
likeness of his death, we shall be also in the 
likeness of his resurrection. (Romans 6:5)

We died in Him as the last Adam; we live in Him 
as the Second Man. The cross is the mighty act 
of God which translates us from Adam to Christ. 
(Watchman Nee; The Normal Christian Life)

Reader, consider the paper in the book. This one
illustration has given me courage when my heart
fails, and I tank.


Saturday, November 19, 2016

Problem Solved

This is probably one of the most significant posts
you will read on this site. It was taught by the
clergy in the 19th and 20th centuries, but I have
not come across it much in more recent years.

"For as by one man's disobedience the many 
were made sinners, so by the one man's 
obedience, the many will be made righteous. 
(Romans 5:19)

Our despair is in Adam; our hope is in Christ.

But, here is the problem. Seeing that we were born 
in Adam, how can we get out of Adam? The blood 
doesn't cut it. There is only one way. Since we 
came into Adam by birth, we must go out of Adam 
by death. To do away with our sinfulness we must 
do away with our life. What? Yes! Bondage to sin 
came by birth; deliverance from sin comes by death--
His death. God has dealt with us in Christ. If this is 
so, how do we get into Christ? Good question. God 
has put us into Christ. I Corinthians 1:30 states 
this very clearly:

"Of Him (that is of God) are ye in Christ.
We are in so we don't have to try to get in.

The Lord God Himself put us into Christ
Our destiny is bound up in His destiny
What He has gone through, we have also.
When Christ was crucified we were crucified
When Christ was buried we were buried
When Christ rose from the dead, we rose too.
(See Romans 6)

All references to crucifixion in the NT are in the 
Greek aorist tense. "the eternally past tense, the 
once for all tense'

"We know that our old man was crucified 
with him in order that the body of sin might 
be brought to nothing, so that we would no 
longer be enslaved to sin.
'  (Romans 6:6)

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no 
longer I who live, but Christ who lives in 
me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live 
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved 
me and gave himself for me." 
(Galatians 2:20)

"But far be it from me to boast except in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which 
the world has been crucified to me, and I to
the World."  (Galatians 6:14)

Dear reader, the contents of this blog are the
most significant principles I have ever heard.
You see, we were crucified when Christ was
crucified, for God put us in Him. That we have
died in Christ is not merely a doctrinal position
it is an indisputable fact. Read the scriptures
above and meditate on these things.
(Paraphrased from The Normal Christian Life
by Watchman Nee. See a previous post for
his autobiography.)

Friday, November 18, 2016

NOT Our Behavior

"What has nothing to do with my behavior? When
we know the precious truth of justification by faith,
we still know only half the story. We have only
solved the problem of our standing before God.
How can we live the normal Christian life? How
do we enter into it? We not only need to be right
with God but we also need peace with God. The
Blood can wash away my sins, but it cannot wash
away my 'old man.' The 'old nature' needs
crucifixion. The Blood deals with the sins but the
cross must deal with the sinner. Paul lays it out in
Romans five: 'A sinner is said to be a sinner
because he is born a sinner; not because he com-
mits sins.' Why am I a born a sinner? Because
Adam sinned and we are all descended from
Adam.

'Sin came into the world through one man so
death spread to all men...through one man's 
trespass, death reigned through that one man.'
(Romans 5)

If your great grandfather had died at the age of
three, where would you be today? Well, you
would not be here because you would have died
in him. In the same way we are bound to Adam.
We are all involved in Adam's sin, because we
are all from him. When Adam sinned we received
from him all that he became as a result of his sin--
that is to say, the Adam-nature, the nature of a
sinner. Our trouble is in what we have inherited,
not our behavior. Unless we change our heritage
there is no room for deliverance for us."
Watchman Nee paraphrase

Reader, I am going to leave you half baked, so to
speak. I am on the edge of a wonderful break-
through but it is so much to grasp all at once,
especially if it is new to you.  Know that you have
been reconciled with God through the Blood of
Jesus, but that there is so much more to salvation--
there is also deliverance!

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Overcoming the Accuser

The greatest daily battle against our enemy is all in
our heads. And, he attacks us continually in such a
way that we tend to agree with him. Yuk!

"...which accused them before God day and night"
(Rev 12:10)

When Adam fell he instantly sided with Satan and
against God. When Jesus came He became our
High Priest. Check out Hebrews 9:11-14. Jesus is a
High Priest who shed his own blood on our behalf,
so man is now back on the side of God. The blood
restored man to God and God to man. Because of
this, when we are accused before God by Satan,
the Lord confronts Satan on our behalf.

"The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from 
every sin." (Darby 1John 1:9)

Every sin? Yes. The worst of sins? Yes. We are
tempted by the enemy to think there are sins that
are unforgivable, but scripture says,
'the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin!'

Now the reason why we so readily accept the
accusations of Satan as truth, is that we are still
hoping to have some righteousness of our own!
However, if we have learned to put no confidence
in the flesh, we shall not be surprised if we sin,
because the very nature of flesh is to sin. Never
should we try to answer Satan with our good
conduct but always by the blood. Our faith is in
the precious blood and our refusal to move from
that position alone silences Satan's charges and
puts him to flight. (Romans 8:33, 34)'
(Watchman Nee paraphrased)

Reader, I had forgotten how much the blood
of Jesus has accomplished for me. It surely is
by revelation that we are able to stand against
the accusations of the accuser, our vile foe!






Wednesday, November 16, 2016

The Precious Blood

The precious blood of Jesus deals with our sins and
justifies us in the sight of God.

"All have sinned" (Romans 3:23
"God commended his own love toward us, in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more then, being now justified by his blood,
shall we be saved from the wrath of God through
him." (Romans 5:8,9)

"The blood is for atonement and has to do first with
our standing before God. We need forgiveness for
the sins we have committed, lest we come under
judgement; and they are forgiven, not because God
overlooks what we have done, but because He sees
the blood. The blood is not primarily for us but for
God.

"The sense of our sins and guilt can become so great,
so terrible, as almost to cripple us, by causing us to
lose sight of the true effectiveness of the Blood. We
come to the point where our sins loom larger than
the Blood of Christ. Let us remember that He is holy
and righteous. God has the right to say that the Blood 
is acceptable in His eyes and has fully satisfied Him.
(Watchman Nee)

Reader, it is good to revue what our Lord Jesus has
given to us through His blood and death on the cross.
It is so easy to become discouraged by what we see
in ourselves. Good news will continue to flow from
my pen--so to speak! Watch the video below.

Broken and Spilled Out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pklUAB4E4nA




Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Our Dual Problem

Our dual problem: SINS AND SIN

'The first eight chapters of Romans form a self-
contained unit. Chapters one to chapter 5:11 form 
the first half, chapters 5:12 to 8:19 lays out the 
second half. In the first section we find that Paul 
uses the plural form and refers to sins. In the 
second section, however, this is changed, for 
while the word 'sins' hardly occurs once, the 
singular word 'sin' is used again and again. Why?'

'It is because in the first section it is a question 
of the many sins I have committed before God, 
whereas in the second it is a question of sin as a 
principle working within. It is this sin-principle 
that leads to our sinning. I need forgiveness for 
my sins, but I need also deliverance from the 
power of sin. The former touches my conscience, 
the latter, my life...Once I have received 
forgiveness of sins I make a new discovery, 
namely the discovery of 'sin'--something is still 
wrong within...'

'We shall see that the Blood deals with what we 
have done, whereas the Cross deals with what 
we are. The Blood disposes of our sins, while the
Cross strikes at the root of our capacity for sin.'
(Watchman Nee, somewhat paraphrased)

Reader, the words above were what began my
journey to living in greater victory. If you can
grasp the difference between sins and sin, you
are on your way to freedom in Christ! I will
expand on this in the coming days.

Monday, November 14, 2016

The Normal Christian Life

In the last post I introduced Watchman Nee. I was alive
when He died, but I paid little attention to him--until
after he died. His writings, and especially,
The Normal Christian Life, have deeply impacted my
Christian life.

"What is the normal Christian life? We do well at the
outset to ponder this question. The object is to show
that it is something very different from the life of the
average Christian. Indeed a consideration of the
written Word of God--of the sermon on the Mount for 
example--should lead us to ask whether such a life has 
ever, in fact, been lived upon the earth, save only by the 
Son of God Himself. But in that last saving clause lies 
immediately the answer to our question. 

The apostle Paul gives us his own definition of the 
Christian life in Galatians 2:20. It is 'no longer I, 
but Christ.' Here he is not stating something special 
or peculiar--a high level of Christianity. He is, we 
believe, presenting God's normal for a Christian,
which can be summarized in the words: 'I live no 
longer, but Christ lives His life through me.' 

The Son of God died instead of us for our forgiveness: 
He lives instead of us for our deliverance. So we can 
speak of two substitutions--a Substitute on the Cross,
who secures our forgiveness and a Substitute within
who secures our victory. It will help us greatly, and
save us from much confusion, if we keep constantly
before us this fact, that God will answer our questions 
in one way and only one way, namely, by showing us 
more of His Son."
Watchman Nee 

Reader, Did you read that last paragraph? Jesus
secures forgiveness on the cross, and within us,
secures our victory. We have been lied to. God
does not 'help those who help themselves.' He is
the power house within and if we are connected
to that power, His Life will flow out from us in
victory.

Hallelujah, What a Savior!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVpR5ltUodg


Friday, November 11, 2016

Watchman Nee

Watchman Nee, Nee To-Sheng, found his Savior in 1920
as a college student. Soon after that he gave himself to
God without reserve for work among his own people.
Over the years he became known as a gifted preacher
of the Gospel and an expositor of the Word. In 1922 he
initiated church meetings in Fuzhou, his home town,
which was the beginning of the local church movement.
Nee published many books where his goal was to share
Scriptural truth. He was a lonely man who often wrestled
with God, "Your will, not mine be done." At times he
just wanted to die.

Following the Communist Revolution, in 1952, Nee was
imprisoned for his faith. On January 18, 1956, the Religious
Affairs Bureau began twelve days of accusation meetings.
On June 21st it was announced that he had been
excommunicated by the elders of the church in Shanghai,
found guilty on all charges. He was sentenced to 15 years
of hard labor. Only his wife Charity was permitted to visit
him. One year before his death his wife died and Nee was
not permitted to attend the funeral. He was scheduled for
release in 1967, but was detained until his death on
May 39, 1972. His body was cremated before the family
arrived but they did find this written under his pillow:

"Christ is the Son of God who died for the redemption
of sinners and resurrected after three days. This is the
greatest truth in the universe. I die because of my belief
in Christ. Watchman Nee."

Reader, so many are losing their lives today because of
faith in Christ. This Sunday is the official International
Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Join them in
prayer for our brothers and sisters. Pray for steadfastness,
courage, faithfulness, protection, perseverance, and joy!


Thursday, November 10, 2016

Geodes

Any geologist would instantly know that a Geode is a
very unique rock. The ones we find near the volcanic
fields in the Snake River Valley of Idaho have a rough
brown outer surface These are formed by the filling
of vesicles (gas bubbles) in volcanic rock by mineral
deposits in the heated fluids. After the cavity hardens,
dissolved minerals are deposited inside the hard
surface. Crystals slowly form on the inside.

Last evening I gave one of these nondescript stones
a sharp tap of the hammer and a world of sparkling
crystals appeared. How could something so ordinary--
I would never have picked up this rock and taken it
home--contain such beauty?

Reader, we the Body of Christ are like Geodes, rough
and plain on the outside, but inside? Oh, the glory of
where our Lord dwells!

"Christ in you, the hope of glory!"

Geodes come in a variety of colors and shapes:
http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/geode_11.html




Wednesday, November 9, 2016

His Will; My Will

Is God's will my will?

"This is the will of God, your sanctification..."
             1 Thessalonians 4:3

'Receive Jesus Christ to become sanctification
for you by absolute, unquestioning faith and
the great miracle of the atonement of Jesus
will become real to you. Sanctification makes
me one with Jesus Christ, and in Him one with
God, and it is accomplished only through
the magnificent atonement of Christ.' (OC)

Dear reader, if you think that you work out
your sanctification by reading the Bible,
praying, and giving away your money, then
read what Oswald Chambers says--again.
He accomplished our sanctification on the
cross and we receive it by faith, just as we
receive our salvation by faith. Does not this
give you a sense of relief?

"Christ in you the hope of glory"

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Utter Weakness

                  "Abide in Me and I in you." 
                            John 15:4

"It is when I feel my utter weakness most deeply, and 
fully accept Jesus in His wondrous union to myself as 
my life, that His wondrous power works in me. Then 
am able to lead a life completely beyond what my own 
power could obtain. I begin to see that abiding in Him 
is not a matter of moments or special seasons, but the 
deep life process in which--by His keeping grace--I 
continue without a moment's intermission, and from 
which I act out all my Christian life."
Andrew Murray

Reader, I say with Paul, "Not that I have obtained it, 
or have already become perfect, but I press on in order 
that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid 
hold of by Christ Jesus." (Phil 3:12)


Monday, November 7, 2016

A Time for Hope

The 12th chapter of Luke is a long dissertation by Jesus
on anxiety, the piling up of earthly treasures, and how
very important it is that we seek His kingdom,
"For where your treasure is, there will be your heart 
also."

Jesus continues to speak--

'Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps alight.
And be like men who are waiting for their master 
when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they 
may immediately open the door to him when he 
comes and knocks. 
"Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall 
find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, 
that he will gird himself to serve, and have them 
recline at the table, and will come and wait on them...
And be sure of this, that if the head of the house had 
known at what hour the thief was coming, he would 
not have allowed his house to be broken into. You 
too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an 
hour that you do not expect."'  Luke 12:35-40

Reader, my guess is that most of you have forgotten
or are disregarding the warnings in scripture that the
Lord is coming at a time that most of the church does
not expect. We are so caught up in the election right
now, and filled with anxiety of how it will play out in
the coming days. However, there are multiple signs
that His return to pick up the Bride that He purchased
2,000 years ago, is very close. I read a booklet this
morning that lays out in detail all these signs and I
will put it in the 'comment section.' As you study the
material you will realize that we are in the time where
Jesus said to,
"Look up for your redemption draws near." 
He is our blessed hope!

Click on this and then on the Shiloh booklet

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B4lMw4yuCqaBQTNoNWdTUXRjTlU

Friday, November 4, 2016

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

' We are not justified in claiming to be Christians except in
the measure in which Christ is manifested in us; and all the
forces of hell are against that. Everything begins with this,
the revelation of Christ within.

"What am I here for? Why do I bear the Name of Christ?
What is the point of my salvation?" The answer is: Not
my satisfaction, not my gratification, but the revelation
of Christ, the realization of His centrality and supremacy,
according to the Father's desire.

"So, what am I to work for?" Am I going to try and
establish my place in society, build a church, work with
the poor, teach a new system of truth? Or, is it to secure
for the Lord Jesus His absolute centrality and supremacy?
It is: "Christ in you, the hope of glory," and the only hope
of glory, and if not this, then it will certainly mean shame
not glory.'  (T Austin-Sparks)

Reader, let the Lord write this fragment deeply into your
hearts for His Name's sake. It is something that needs
earnest time with Him. 

Thursday, November 3, 2016

The Encounter

When Paul encountered Jesus Christ on the road to
Damascus, he became physically blind while at the
same time, the inside of him was filled with light.
That principle holds true for us. Everything hangs 
upon an inward revelation of our Lord. You and I 
will never be Christians, servants of God, in real 
spiritual life and effectiveness beyond the measure
of our inward apprehension of the Lord Jesus. 
It is not Christianity.
It is not 'the work'--oh, we love to talk about this.
It is not the mission.
It is Christ..."That I may preach Him."

"And we proclaim Him, admonishing every man
and teaching every man with all wisdom, that we
may present every man complete in Christ. And 
for this purpose also I labor, striving according
to His power, which mightily works within me."
(Colossians 1:28,29)

These two things are before us:
One, because of the revelation of Jesus Christ in our 
hearts we have a passion for Him.
Two, because of the absence of a sufficient revelation 
of Christ in our hearts, we are out for other things, 
which we would say were in His interest and for Him, 
but which can never, never satisfy God's heart.
T Austin-Sparks

Reader, my question is the how? How do I receive
this light, this inward revelation of my Lord? It is
by faith. The faith that can comprehend what pleases
the Father. This morning I turned to Eph 1:17 and
read a prayer.

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father 
of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and 
revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes 
of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what 
is the hope to which he has called you..."  

Christ in you, the hope of glory!

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

A Mystery

Everyone loves a mystery! However, the Bible speaks
of mystery as a secret, something unknown in earlier
ages. God the Father had a divine secret that He carried
throughout the Old Covenant. He worked through the
years, never fully disclosing His heart until the fullness
of time when the Father sent forth the Son of His love;
then by the Holy Spirit, made known the fullness of His
love toward the gentiles. The Apostle Paul became a 
"minister...to make the word of God fully known,
 the mystery hidden for ages and for generations 
but now revealed to his saints."

It is in the first chapter of Colossians that this divine
secret is disclosed as the matchless, incomparable
unveiling:
"That in all things he might have pre-eminence." 
Its beginning is within the heart of every believer.
The mystery is: (trumpets please)
"Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Dear Reader, I have paraphrased what was penned
by T Austin-Sparks in the first few pages of his book,
The Centrality of Christ. You may not be able to find
his book, but you can find the book of Colossians
and the first chapter is rather overwhelming. If you
do nothing else, chew on this one phrase,
"Christ in me, the hope of glory!"

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

The Centrality of Jesus Christ

Sitting next to me is a thick book entitled,
The Centrality of Jesus Christ which contain
five books on one subject--Jesus Christ.

'T Austin-Sparks is one of the great figures of the
twentieth century who ministered outside of the
organized church. He spoke at many conferences,
both in Europe and America, published over 100
books and pamphlets--the majority of which have
been lost. T Austin-Sparks and Watchman Nee,
more than any other men, have influenced the lives
of Believers outside of the traditional church.'
(Seed Sowers)

I do so enjoy reading the works written by authors
in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Never
light, but deeply penetrating, often bringing me
back to sections of scripture I thought I knew...
but not really. I may lose all my readers as I
attempt to share some of the concepts in regards
to scripture, as understood by T Austin-Sparks, but
there are things that I want to take hold of!

Monday, October 31, 2016

My Prayer for You

"Asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his 
will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to 
walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to 
him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in
the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all 
power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance
and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who
has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints
in light." (Colossians 1:9-12)


Reader, during this crazy time in history, in our nation,
in our world, it is good to stop and ponder what we have
in Christ: spiritual wisdom and understanding, strength,
endurance, patience, joy, and an inheritance that is out
of this world!!!!!

Friday, October 28, 2016

Eagerly Awaiting

I keep coming across various scriptures that capture my
attention in ways that I had not experienced before. The
verse in Hebrews 9:28,

"...so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the 
sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation 
without reference to sin, 
to those who eagerly await Him.'

The first time Jesus came it was to take away our sins,
but this appearing has nothing to do with sin, but a
lifting us out of this world and into another dimension.

I have been told all my life that the entire church will be
raptured when Jesus appears to pick up what He bought
2,000 years ago. If this is true then why are we told a
number of times, 'to be alert, to watch,' that we are 'to
eagerly await His appearing?' Then there are the ten
virgins in Matt 25, but only five of them went into the
marriage feast.

'No one knows the day or hour,' but Jesus said that,"
when these things begin to come to pass, look up for
your redemption draws near." What were these things?
Wars, earthquakes, famine, weather changes. Yes, these
things have been going on one degree to another for
hundreds, even thousands of years with one exception:
Israel. See Matthew 24: 32-39 and Luke 21:29-36. The
fig tree is Israel and the generation that was born just
before Israel became a nation, will not pass away until
all of the prophecies of his coming, including the
tribulation are fulfilled. Israel became a nation in 1948.

I was watching a video this evening that took me into
the heavens and the constellations which tell the
redemption story, God's story. It had been a very dull
day but when I glanced out the window I saw a sky of
brilliant pink. One minute later I looked up to see that
beautiful sky but the light was gone and the darkness
was closing in. That quickly it had vanished. The Bible
says in 2 Thessalonians that we will be gone in a blink
of an eye. I am so excited about the coming of the Lord
but few want to hear about it. If you are one of the few,
check out the video below. I had to watch it twice. I did
not look up the references he gave to see what the
Wise Men of the East saw in the sky when Jesus was
born. It was something very unique that set them on a
journey that would take months! That sign is connected
to this season.

We are to encourage one another as the day draws near!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yumhuYugsdA




I Lift Up My Soul

It is amazing how God can open a portion of scripture
and it is exactly what you need to hear for that day.
May you find Him to be your 'only' today.

To Thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul
O my God, in Thee I trust
Do not let me be ashamed;

Make me know Thy ways, O Lord
Teach me Thy paths
Lead me in Thy truth and teach me.

For thou art the God of my salvation;
For Thee I wait all the day...

According to Thy lovingkindness
      remember Thou me.
For Thy goodness sake, O Lord...

Guard my soul, and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed
For I take refuge in Thee. (Ps 25)

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will
sustain you. He will never allow the righteous
to be shaken. 

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Unheeded Secret

It is amazing how some things can jump out at you
when you are searching for truth.

"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world.'"
                           John 18:36

If that is true, why do we work so hard to establish His
kingdom on earth? I won't mention any parties but one
of them has been working over the years to establish
God's kingdom through elections. There are churches
whose goal it is to make their city, a Godly city. Jesus
was not just talking about His time on earth, but the
'is not' includes the now. I am not saying that Christians
should not vote. I am saying that we don't have to have
a Christian running for the Presidency in order to vote.
We do need to seek God as to how to vote, and do our
homework. Which platform represents our values?
They are polls apart. Please vote.

So, what is the calling of the Church?
It is to make Christ known.

Oswald Chambers narrows it down to the
              Unheeded Secret:
"We must get rid of the plague of the spirit of 
this religious age in which we live. 
The central point of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ 
is a personal relationship with Him, 
not public usefulness to others."

Somehow this did not get posted today! 



Monday, October 24, 2016

A Prayer for Perilous Times

"The prayer of the upright is his delight." Pro 15:8
" Men ought always to pray and not faint." Luke 18:1

If you are watching the news at all regularly, it may cause
your heart to faint. Jesus said that at the end of  the age,
"men's hearts would fail them for fear" 
So, dear reader, what is a good prayer for these days?
You may be surprised by the petition of Andrew Murray

"Make known to me and take from me every form, and
degree and type of pride whether it be from evil spirits
or my own corrupt flesh, and awaken in me the deepest
depth and truth of that humility which will make me
capable of His light and Holy Spirit. "
(from the little book called, Humility)

Friday, October 21, 2016

Enoch--A Not

"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for
God took him." Gen 5:20

OR, 'Enoch walked with God and he was a 'not.'

The message we hear today is how to be somebody
for God. It is all about excelling in the works of
God; to be great in the kingdom of God. I have sat
under this kind of teaching for most of my life.

Consider Enoch. What did he accomplish for God in
his 365 years? NOThing is recorded. Did he feel like
a 'not?' However, no one else in scripture suddenly
vanished like Enoch, without fanfare, without notice.
Did Enoch change dimensions because of a unique
relationship with his Creator?

Reader, the greatest of us can't live the Christian life.
We are all on the same playing field. Everyone of us
is helpless to live the Christian life out of our own
gifts, resources. Each of us has far more than Enoch
could have dreamed of. Every born again Christian
contains the Creator of the Universe--Jesus Christ!

Paul says: "Whatever things were gain to me, these
things I have counted loss for the sake of Christ."
(Philippians 3:7)

Jesus says: "I am the vine, you are the branches; he
who abides in Me, and I in Him, he bears much fruit;
for apart from me, you can do NOThing. (John 15:5)


Thursday, October 20, 2016

Silence

Lewis once said that when you need God the most is
the time that the door slams shut, the bolt is dropped
and then, silence. (I am paraphrasing)

"When He heard that he was sick, He stayed 
two more days in the place where He was."
                         John 11:6

'If Jesus Christ is bringing you into the under-
standing that prayer is for the glorifying of His 
Father, then He will give you the first sign of 
His intimacy--silence.'     (OC)

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Revealed

How can I know what the Father is saying?

"Jesus answered and said, 'I thank You, Father,..
that You have hidden these things from the wise
and prudent and have revealed them to babes.'"
                   (Matt 11:25)

'All of God's revealed truths are sealed until they
are opened to us through obedience. Even the 
smallest bit of obedience opens the heaven, and
the deepest truths of God immediately become
ours.' (OC)

Reader, we must pause long enough to hear that
quiet voice... 

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Coming to Jesus

'Come to Me...'
  Matt 11:28

'"Come to Me...' When you hear those words, you
will know that something must happen in you
before you can come. The Holy Spirit will search
out that one immovable stronghold within you,
but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to
let Him do so,"   (OC)

Monday, October 17, 2016

Reconciliation

As I type this word, reconciliation, I ponder what it means--
truly. We are currently preparing a Christmas Cantata and
the theme of Christmas is that God became flesh that we
might be reconciled to the living God.

Reconciliation from Webster's 1825 dictionary:
Reconcile: To conciliate anew; to call back into union
and friendship the affections which have been alienated;
to restore to friendship or favor after estrangement.
 In scripture, the means by which sinners are reconciled 
and brought into a state of favor with God.

'God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself...'
     1Cor. 5:18
'For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, 
so that we might become the righteousness of God.'
     1Cor 5:21

"Jesus Christ reconciled the human race, putting it back
to where God designed it to be. And now anyone can
experience that reconciliation, being brought into oneness
with God, on the basis of what our Lord has done on the
cross.  (OC)

Reader, you are a mystery to me. I have no idea where
you are on this journey of reconciliation with God. I so
pray that you would consider what I have written, not
for the words but for the heart of God and how much He
loves you--even as you are now. Bow before Him and
let Him know your greatest need. He stands before you
to fill you with Himself.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand

Here we are still on earth two thousand years after
Jesus left and the disciples were told to watch for
His return. But the midnight call has gone forth
and the ten virgins are trimming their lamps.

Ten thousand time ten thousand,
   In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints
   Throng up the steeps of light;
'Tis finished, all is finished,
   Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
   And let the victors in.

What rush of hallelujahs
   fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
   Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day for which creation
   And all its tribes were made!
O joy, for all its former woes
   A thousandfold repaid!

O then what raptured greetings
   On Canaan's happy shore,
What knitting severed friendships up,
   Where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle
   That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless,
   Nor widows desolate.

Bring near Thy great salvation,
   Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
   Then take Thy power and reign;
Appear, Desire of nations,
   Thine exiles long for home;
Show in the heavens Thy promised sign;
   Thous Prince and Savior, come.
Henry Alford (1810-71)

Reader, the night is far spent, the day is at hand.
There were ten virgins but only five went into the
wedding feast. What made the difference? Open
to the first three chapters of Revelation and ask
the Lord to show you which church you represent.
Truly, He is at the door! Are you Rapture ready?

The month of September and October this year has
been very busy prophetically. Lots going on in the
heavens and there have been many shadows and
patterns. InformedChristiansYouTube has been
putting up three to four videos a week of some very
interesting stuff regarding the rapture. I will post the
most recent below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZkU6lV9YF0






Thursday, October 13, 2016

Work for God

"We cannot take up work for Christ--plan, scheme,
devise, organize or enter upon Christian service--
and so command God's blessing. We cannot pray as 
we desire, even though these prayers contain passion 
and tears, in order to secure the Divine response. 
Failure to recognize this is bringing multitudes into 
despair because of no blessing upon their ardent 
labor and no answers to their prayers."

'We must know in our spirit just what Christ is 
doing, how He is doing it. Moreover, our prayers 
must be the prayers of Christ Himself prayed in us 
and through us by the Holy Spirit." 

From where came Christ's power?

"I came out from God." Jn 7:29
"What he seeth the Father doing...
     these the son also doeth.' Jn 15:19)
"The works of my Father" Jn 5:36
"I speak not of myself."

"The first believers knew what it meant to be 
baptized 'in one spirit"...into one Body of which 
Christ is the head...They had no independent 
action, no self laid plans, no schemes or 
undertakings which were the product of their 
own thought, reasoning, devising--even though 
it were "for Christ" or "for the kingdom or in 
His Name."  T Austin-Sparks from In Christ

Well, reader, in this 21st century of nonstop
busyness, we may be missing something. We
relax in front of the TV, but when do we set
time aside to read and listen to what God is
saying?

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

A Preposterous Statement

Everything in our culture screams out, 'I am the one. I can do
anything. If I can get my life together I will soar. I must soar!'
The motto in my home growing up was, 'Busyness is next to
godliness.'

The scripture laid out in the last blog serves to emphasize the
truth that no one can live the Christian Life. This is what
T Austin-Sparks says:

'No man can live the Christian life; there is only One Who
can live the Christian life, and that is Christ Himself. He 
lives His Life through us as members of His own Body, 
so that:

'For me to live is Christ'
'It is no longer I...but Christ.'

Reader, it was about a decade ago that I learned that only
through Him can I live the Christian life. Up until then my
days were full of 'oughts' and 'should.' I measured my quiet
time, serving time, praying time and it wore me out. Then,
I got sick and was helpless to live the Christian life and
discovered that He leads moment by moment and when He
is my Life, my life is effortless and full of peace.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

The Immensity of Redemption

I recently picked up a small book entitled In Christ by
T Austin-Sparks, who lived in the 19th century. First of all,
I hardly recognize his teachings because they are foreign
to what is taught in most churches today; secondly,
he speaks truth.

There is no phrase or formula which occur with greater 
frequency than this, "in Christ." In all the 200 times of its 
occurrence the principle is the same. In Ephesians 1:10 
we are told that God has purposed to sum up all things in 
Christ and that outside of Him there is nothing which has 
any place in the eternal purpose and intention of God. The 
plan, the method, the resources, the times, the eternities, 
are all Christopheric--centered in Christ.

In Eternity past we were chosen and elected together in 
Christ. Eph 1:4; 1Peter 5:13
Planted together in the likeness of His death. Rom 6:5
Quickened...together in christ Eph 2:15
Raised...up together in Christ Eph 2:6
Made...to sit together in Christ Eph 2:6
Perfected together 1Cor 2:2
Knit together  Col 2:2
Live together with him 1Thes 5:10
Working Together with him 2 Cor 5:1

Then comes the climax at the end of time, when all things
will be accomplished and we are 'Together...caught up,"
Phil 1:27 and then "Glorified together with him." Rom 8:17.

Reader, have you ever pondered the immensity of what it
means that Christ redeemed us from our sins and made us
a New Creation, centered in Him alone? I have not done
this very much, myself!

Sunday, October 9, 2016

The Lord Draws Near

I came across a website whose writer plunges into places few
wish to walk. I put a quote below and will post the site at the
end of this blog. Sabine covers a lot of ground and gives the
reader opportunities to explore other areas.

'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I 
will also keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which 
is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what
you have, in order that no one take your crown. 
(Rev 3:10,11)

'The Lord draws near to him into the understanding that He
works all worldly things according to His purpose, and 
invites us to abide in the presence of His gracious, loving 
Spirit ruling our personal lives as well.

At times I struggle with fear including fear of the unknown,
rejection at large and by Him eventually, trickling down to 
the well-being of my children and fate of (as yet unsaved) 
loved ones, and friends, and often seek the Lord for 
re(assurance), for deliverance from fear induced fight, flight 
and freeze, and letting go of the need to be in control and 
pray to come into proper alignment.

Nearing Him in spirit, knowing how near He actually is 
and cares for every detail in our lives, eases, settles and heals. 
Our time is not in our hands, nor in the enemy's. We are not to 
fear men's judgements, but may enjoy great expectations of 
what the Lord has and will undertake for us and our loved 
ones in these end times especially.

He, through His Word, Spirit and diligent servants, gives us 
ample insight into events unfolding and offers us security in 
both knowing and understanding times and our responsiveness, 
yet invites us also to be grateful and content with what is all 
ready established, revealed and matters sealed. His future 
promises and blessings are rock solid, kept by his unchanging, 
loving nature extending toward us. Whatever we yield and 
whomever we lay in His hands, knowing our time on earth is 
nearly ending as well.'
Sabine Vlaming, The Netherlands, 2016


Thursday, October 6, 2016

Degeneration

"Just as through one man sin entered the world,
and death through sin, and thus death spread to
all men, because all sinned.' (Romans 5:12)

This is what Oswald Chambers says:

The nature of sin is not immorality and wrong-
doing, but the nature of self-realization which 
leads us to say, 'I am my own god.'

People do not want to bow to another, they want
to be free to live their lives with no constraints.
The tribulation period will be a time when all
restraints on sin are lifted and everyone will do
'what is right in their own eyes.' 

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

It is Finished

I have come across a poem, hymn that was written in
the eighteenth century. May it be a blessing to you
this day!

'It is finished' 
John 19:30

Hark! the voice of love and mercy
Sounds aloud from Calvary;
See! It rends the rocks asunder,
Shakes the earth, and veils the sky:
       'It is finished!'
Hear the dying Savior cry.

'It is finished!' What assurance
Do the wondrous words afford!
Heavenly blessings without measure
Flow to us from Christ the Lord:
       'It is finished!'
Saints the dying words record!

Finished all the types and shadows
Of the ceremonial law,
Finished all that God had promised;
Death and hell no more shall awe:
       'It is finished!'
Saints, from hence your comfort draw.

Saints and angels shout His praises,
His great finished work proclaim;
All on earth and all in heaven
Join to bless Immanuel's name:
       Hallelujah!
Endless glory to the Lamb!
Jonathan Evans (1748-1809)

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Grow Faith

For the past couple of months many things have been
coming together in regards to the Rapture of the Church.
We are moving into a less intense time of watching and
many are discouraged. It is not a time to let faith--which
is 'the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction 
of things not seen'--lag in despair.

I have been encouraged in my faith by listening to a
dramatized version of scripture. There is a great verse
in Romans 10:17.

'... faith comes from hearing, and hearing 
through the word of Christ.' 

In August I got the free app from Bible.Is and I have
listened to over half the Bible, including the whole NT.
It is easy to turn it on when I am busy around the house,
or driving somewhere.

Reader, if you have not listened to the dramatized
version of the book of Revelation, you are missing
out.
The worship is phenomenal!
Bible.Is

Monday, October 3, 2016

What is Important?

If we do not understand what is of prime importance
we will set our priorities incorrectly. Life here is but
a breath compared with all eternity. And, yes, there is
a real heaven; there is a real hell--separation from
God for all eternity, or living in pure love and delight
for all eternity. The choice is ours.

The Westminster Catechism asks a key question?
What is the chief end of man? The correct answer is:

'The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy
      Him forever.'

What is the purpose of the Church?

It is first of all, 'to make Christ known,' and then to
make disciples.

Jesus says this to his disciples before he leaves:

'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given 
to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe 
all that I have commanded you. And, behold, I am 
with you always even to the end of the age.' 
(Matt 28:18-20)

Paul says this in Galatians 4:
I am agin in the anguish of childbirth until Christ be 
formed in you.'

Reader, other things such as doing good works, and
loving each other are important but if the church is
not primarily 'making Christ known, it is failing in its
purpose. These other things are spin-offs to a vibrant
relationship with Christ, where one cannot be silent
about their Lord!


  

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Truth From Paul

I went through some of my back blogs from this year
and discovered some 'almost' duplicates. There are
some parts of scripture I review frequently to get a
better handle on the truth. Perhaps, you also need
reminding...

Here's what Paul wrote to Timothy in his
Second Epistle, and,
the last letter to be written:

  • Luke alone is with me...
  • Bring the cloak I left with... 
  • Alexander the coppersmith 
  • did me much harm...
  • At first all deserted me...
  • but the Lord stood by...
  • Do your best to come before winter...
'The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and 
bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom, to Him 
be the glory forever and ever, Amen.'

To the Philippians from he same prison:
  • My imprisonment 
  • has turned out for the greater 
  • progress of the Bible...
  • Rejoice in the Lord always...
  • Again, I say, 'rejoice....'
  • The Lord is near...
  • Be anxious for nothing...
Reader, the Apostle Paul was real in his writings.
His negative emotions show through the letters he 
wrote. He was a man of great passion in every 
way, however, between the expression of negative 
feelings, he speaks truth. Go ahead, express your 
emotions to God and to trusted friends, but always 
speak truth--even if you don't feel it--that your joy 
may be restored! 

REJOICE!  The Lord is at hand....

              


    


Friday, September 30, 2016

Unsurpassed Glory

Paul was blinded on the road to Damascus, but it
was only the evidence of his spiritual blindness.
Both were addressed when Ananias prayed for him.

...the Lord Jesus...has sent me that you
may receive your sight... (Acts 9:17)

'Paul never again allowed anything to attract and 
hold the attention of his mind and soul except the
face of Jesus Christ. We must learn to maintain a
strong degree of character in our lives, even to 
the level that has been revealed in our vision of
Jesus Christ.' (OC)

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Hypocrisy in Ourselves

How easy it is to pray in your prayer closet and find
yourself listing the faults of another. Ouch! It even
happens when praying with others. :)

'If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin...
he will ask and He will give him life...'
            1John 5:16

'God cannot convey His mind to us regarding the
person for whom we intercede unless we are so
closely identified with Him that we are 
awakened to His viewpoint concerning the people 
for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so 
wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ will be 
completely and overwhelmingly satisfied with 
us as intercessors.' (OC)

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Hardness?

I wonder if we lose sight of God and our heart's get
hard, or whether we don't understand how important
it is to stay connected to Him through worship.

"...worship God." Revelation 19:10
" God is spirit, and those who worship him must 
worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)

Oswald Chambers says:
'Are we worshiping God in a way that will raise us
up to where we can take hold of Him, having such
intimate contact with Him that we know His mind
about the ones for whom we pray?'

Reader, true worship brings softness towards others.
When we fail to give glory and praise mixed with
thanksgiving to God, we get hard inside. It is so
easy to become self-centered in our prayer life and
to pray without power or understanding.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

She Laughed

I am reminded of the story of a woman who was
imprisoned in an Asian country because someone
she trusted had planted drugs in her luggage. She
was facing life in prison or death. Her fellow
prisoners were surprised at her peace. How did
they know she was truly at peace? She laughed in
her sleep!

'In this you rejoice, though now for a little season 
which, if necessary, you have been grieved by 
various trials, so that the genuiness of your faith--
more precious than gold that perishes...may be 
found to result in praise and glory and honor at 
the revelation of Jesus Christ.'
(1 Peter 1:6, 7)

Trials of all kinds? Rejoice? Really? Actually, the
definition for rejoice is stronger than the word, 'joy.'
It means to 'jump for joy, be exceeding glad, to 
abound in mirth.'

Why would we as Christians be able to rejoice in
our circumstances? Verse seven tells us that 'these
trials will result in praise and glory and honor at
the revelation of Christ.'

Reader, Faith is the key. Faith that our terrible trials
on earth will not result in nothing; but, even if the
'nothing' does not change on earth, we can count on
the fact that trials, our trials, will result in 'praise 
and glory and honer at His coming.

What happened to the prisoner? A lawyer came over
from the states and represented her at the trial. It
was not a short process but she was acquitted in the
end.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Patient Endurance

I decided to look up 'patience' in Strongs out of Rev 3:10.
(5281, see 5278) It states, 'delight in.' I sat there in shock.
I checked out the numbers again and then called Glen.
'How can I write a blog when patience is coming up as
'delight, splendor, grace and beauty?' Glen checked it out
and suggested I check out the Greek instead of the
Hebrew...

Patience: 'to remain, undergo, bear, have fortitude, endure,
suffer, perseverance.'  (out of 5281 from 5278 in Greek)

Jesus says this to the angel of the Church of Philadelphia:
'Because you have kept my word of patient endurance,
will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the 
whole world, to try those who dwell on earth. 
I am coming soon.' (Revelation 3:10)

What is important enough to God that He would deliver
us from the tribulation before it even starts? It is to walk
through life--its trials, wrong decisions and failures; right
decisions and failures; loss, grief, drudgery, (especially
drudgery)--with patient endurance.

In Galatians 5:22 we read: The fruit of the spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience... I am intrigued by the fact that joy,
peace, patience are so closely related. Friday's blog
discusses how joy comes from deep within. (The word
happiness is not even mentioned in scripture.) Jesus
gives peace, unlike the world. If we are girded by joy
and peace we can walk through life with 'patient
endurance.' It helps to know that Jesus is all the fruits.
He dwells within every believer through the Holy Spirit.
He wants us to live our lives out from His Life.

Reader, I asked God if I am repeating blogs because I
can't remember what I've written! He let me know that
He's got it covered. Many times I come to the computer
empty--then He fills me up.



Friday, September 23, 2016

Abundant Joy

We as humans tend to place joy with happy events, when,
in fact, joy is something that runs deep. Happiness rides
on the surface and is subject to change. Joy comes out of
a faith that believes God loves me, will always love me,
that He is for me, and works everything to my good.

Oswald Chambers speaks of the overwhelming waves
that are a thrill to the surfer:

'Huge waves that would frighten an ordinary swimmer pro-
duce a tremendous thrill for the surfer who has ridden them. 
Let's apply that to our own circumstances. The things we 
try to avoid and fight against--tribulation, suffering, and 
persecution--are the very things that produce abundant joy 
in us.'

'In all these things we are more than conquerors through
Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor 
things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth,
nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from 
the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.'
(Romans 8:37-39)



Thursday, September 22, 2016

Signs and Seasons

Don't you love it when God continues to deepen your
understanding of a subject! I came across some info last
evening that has enhanced the post I did yesterday and
I want to share it with you.

"Let there lights in the expanse of the heavens to 
separate the day from the night. And let them be for 
signs and for seasons and for days and years." 
(Genesis 1:14)

When I read the word, 'signs,' I think 'information.'
When I read the word, seasons, I naturally think of the
four seasons of the year. But what does the Hebrew
mean?

Signs is the word for 'signal' in Hebrew. The Bethlehem
Sign was a signal to the Wise Men that a King had been
born in Israel.

Seasons--MOED, means festival, divine appointments.

All of the Jewish festivals are centered around the moon.
The spring feasts are related to the full moon but in the
fall, the New Years Festival, Rosh Hashanah, is centered
around the New Moon. What is so interesting about this
festival is that it is considered one day over a two day
period. It centers around a moon that is hidden, In ancient
times--before technology--two priests watched for the
sliver of the moon to rise and then the feast could begin.
It ushered in the New Year.

Here are some other names of the New Years Festival:
The Day of Concealment
The Day of Judgement
The Day of Blowing
The Day of the Awakening Blast
The Opening of the Gates
The Wedding Day
The Coronation of Messiah
The Feast Where No One Knows the Day or the Hour

Reader, I mention this feast in particular, because,
according to the Rabbinical calendar, this feast begins
on October 2nd this year, and because it is the season
to be especially watchful for the coming of our Lord.

I find two verses in Isaiah 26 to be very interesting:

'Come my people, enter your chambers,
   and shut your doors behind you:
hide yourselves for a little while
   until the fury has passed by.
For behold, the Lord is coming out from 
   his place
  to punish the inhabitants of the earth
   for their iniquity...'

Maranatha--Come Lord Jesus